Introduction: Osmophobia is often reported by migraine patients. This study evaluates osmophobia in connection with the diagnosis of episodic migraine with or without aura, chronic migraine and episodic and chronic tension-type headache.
Methods: We recruited from our Headache Unit 68 patients (59 female, 9 male; age 37+/-14.7 years), of whom 24 were migraine without aura (MoA), 11 migraine with aura (MA), 10 chronic migraine (CM) and 23 TTH (episodic-TTH). Patients with two or more forms of primary headache were excluded.
Results: Among migraine patients, 54% with MoA and 0% with MA, 40 %CM reported osmophobia during the attacks; none of the 23 TTH patients suffered this symptom. The crisis frequency was MoA and osmophobia 2.15 crisis per month; MoA without osmophobia 3,14. MC with osmophobia 22; MC without osmophobia 21.7.
Conclusions: Osmophobia and taste abnormalities were demonstrated to be very specific in diagnosing migraine, but very insensitive. Osmophobia frequency does not depend on migraine frequency. Osmophobia seems to be more frequent in females than in males. The lack of osmophobia in MA patients could be explained by a different pathophysiological mechanism between MA and MoA.