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Procalcitonin Levels in Migraine Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

Hale Turan*
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Selçuklu, Konya
Bahriye Horasanli
Affiliation:
Neurology Department, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Selçuklu, Konya
Murat Ugur
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Selçuklu, Konya
Hande Arslan
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Bahçelievler, Ankara, Turkey
*
Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department, Hocacihan mahallesi. Saray caddesi No:1, Selçuklu 42080, Konya, Turkey
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Abstract:

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Objectives:

Migraine is a risk factor for ischemic stroke. Sterile vascular inflammation may develop during migraine attacks. This study aims to investigate procalcitonin (PCT) levels amongst migraine patients as they are important markers for infection and sepsis, but can also be found at elevated levels in various cases of inflammation.

Methods:

Eighty adult migraine patients participated in our study. Patients were initially separated into two main groups; Group-1 consisted of 34 patients who had migraines during the attack period. Group-2 consisted of 46 patients during the period in-between attacks. Afterwards, patients were further divided into four subgroups based on their aura status; Group-1a Migraine without aura, 27 patients during attack period, Group-1b Migraine with aura, 7 patients during attack period, Group-2a Migraine without aura, 40 patients during the period in-between attacks, Group-2b Migraine with aura, 6 patients during the period in-between attacks.

Results:

Average PCT levels in patients during attack periods were found to be higher than the average PCT levels of patients during the period in-between attacks. These elevated levels were determined to be statistically significant(p<0.01). Serum PCT levels of the patients with migraine without aura during the attack period were significantly higher than those of patients during the period in-between attacks(p<0.01).

Conclusions:

Based on significantly high levels of PCT, our results support the idea that sterile inflammation plays a role in migraine pathogenesis. Further studies are necessary to understand whether PCT is a marker for ischemic stroke risk in patients who go through frequent migraine attacks.

Résumé:

Résumé:Objectifs:

La migraine est un facteur de risque de l'accident vasculaire cérébral ischémique. Une inflammation vasculaire stérile peut survenir pendant les crises de migraine. Le but de cette étude était de déterminer chez des patients migraineux les niveaux de procalcitonine (PCT), un marqueur important de l'infection et de la septicémie, qui peut également être élevé dans l'inflammation due à des causes variées.

Méthodes:

Quatre-vingt patients migraineux adultes ont participé à notre étude. Les patients ont été répartis en deux groupes: dans le groupe 1, composé de 34 patients, le taux de PCT était mesuré pendant les crises; dans le groupe 2, composé de 46 patients, le taux de PCT était mesuré entre les crises. Chaque groupe était ensuite subdivisé en deux sous-groupes selon l'absence ou la présence d'une aura: le groupe 1a, composé de 27 patients sans aura et le groupe 1b, composé de 7 patients avec aura ; le groupe 2a, composé de 40 patients sans aura et le groupe 2b, composé de 6 patients avec aura.

Résultats:

Les taux moyens de PCT mesurés pendant les crises étaient plus élevés que les taux moyens mesurés entre les crises et la différence était significative au point de vue statistique (p < 0,01). Les niveaux sériques de PCT des patients avec migraine sans aura étaient significativement plus élevés pendant les crises qu'entre les crises (p < 0,01).

Conclusions:

Nos résultats, soit des taux significativement plus élevés de PCT, sont en faveur de l'hypothèse selon laquelle l'inflammation stérile jouerait un rôle dans la pathogenèse de la migraine. Il faudra des études plus poussées pour déterminer si la PCT est un marqueur du risque d'accident vasculaire cérébral chez les patients dont les crises de migraine sont fréquentes.

Type
Original Article
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 2011

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