Cerebrovascular reactivity in migraineurs as measured by transcranial Doppler

Transcranial Doppler ultrasound is a relatively new diagnostic modality which allows the noninvasive assessment of intracranial circulation. A total of 10 migraine patients were studied and compared to healthy controls without headaches. Migraineurs during the headache-free interval demonstrated excessive cerebrovascular reactivity to CO2, evidenced by an increase in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity of 47% +/- 15% compared to 28% +/- 14% in controls (p = 0.026). Differences between the two study groups revealed no significant decrease in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity with hypocapnia. However, the differences between middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity during hyperventilation and CO2 inhalation were significantly different (p = 0.004) comparing migraineurs and controls. Instability of the baseline blood flow velocities was also noted in migraineurs during the interictal period. Characteristics which may allow differentiation of migraineurs from other headache populations could possibly be obtained from transcranial Doppler ultrasound flow studies.