Title:Association between Oxidative Balance Score and Severe Headache or
Migraine among American Adults A Cross-Section Study
Volume: 21
Issue: 2
Author(s): Dandan Geng, Huanxian Liu, Haoyuan Wang, Zhao Dong*Hebo Wang*
Affiliation:
- Department of Neurology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
- International Headache Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital,
Beijing, China
- Department of Neurology, Hebei General Hospital affiliated to Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Cerebral Network and Cognitive Disorders, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China
Keywords:
NHANES, (OBS) oxidative balance score, migraine, diet, lifestyle, oxidative stress.
Abstract:
Background: Migraine is implicated in oxidative stress. The oxidative balance score
(OBS) assesses the combined impact of diet and lifestyle on oxidative and antioxidant balance in
diseases. However, the association between OBS and migraine remains underexplored.
Objective: We aimed to examine the relationship between OBS and severe headaches or migraines
among American adults.
Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004, defining severe headaches or migraine via self-reports
and calculating OBS from 16 diaries and 4 lifestyle factors. Multivariable weighted logistic regression
models were used to explore the OBS-migraine relationship, with stratified analysis for
result validation.
Results: The study included 6,653 participants (average age 45.6, 52.1% male), and 19.1% reported
severe headaches or migraines. There was a significant inverse association between OBS
and severe headache or migraine, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.97 (95% [confidence
interval] CI: 0.96, 0.98, p < 0.001). The highest OBS tertile had an adjusted OR of 0.58 (95%
CI: 0.47, 0.73) compared to the lowest. This pattern was consistent across sexes, with an adjusted
OR of 0.98 (0.95, 1.00) in males and 0.97 (0.95, 1.00) in females. The adjusted OR for migraine
was 0.61 (0.44, 0.87) and 0.54 (0.37, 0.79) in the highest tertile for males and females,
respectively.
Conclusion: The study highlights a significant association between OBS and severe headaches
or migraines, suggesting the potential role of oxidative stress in these conditions. The findings
emphasize the importance of a balanced, antioxidant-rich diet and lifestyle in managing severe
headaches or migraine.