Background: The association between patent foramen ovale (PFO) and migraine with aura (MA) is well established. However, the benefits of PFO closure are less certain in patients with migraine without aura (MwoA).
Methods: We systematically searched Pubmed for pertinent clinical studies published from January 2000 to July 2015. The primary end-point was the elimination or significant improvement of migraine symptoms after PFO closure.
Results: Upon screening an initial list of 315 publications, we identified eight studies that included 546 patients. Overall, our analysis indicated a significant improvement of migraine in 81% of MA cases compared to only 63% of MwoA cases. The summary odds ratio was 2.5 (95% confidence interval 1.09-5.73), and the benefits of PFO closure were significantly greater for patients with MA compared to patients with MwoA (P = 0.03).
Conclusions: The presence of aura provides a reference standard for the clinical selection of patients with migraine for PFO closure intervention.
Keywords: Migraine; Migraine with aura; Patent foramen ovale; Percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure; Right-to-left shunt.