Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in migraine

Metabolic syndrome is associated with migraine but there is no study comparing the characteristics of migraine with and without metabolic syndrome from Southeast Asia. This study was therefore undertaken to compare the clinical characteristics of migraine in patients with and without metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. 135 consecutive patients with migraine diagnosed on the basis of International Headache Society criteria were subjected to clinical evaluation as per fixed protocol. Headache severity, frequency and functional disability were recorded. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed as per National Cholesterol Education Programme: Adult Treatment Panel III and International Diabetic Federation criteria. Insulin resistance was calculated by homeostases model assessment. Their age ranged between 14 and 61 years and 108 were females. Metabolic syndrome was present in 31.9% patients and only 13 were obese. Insulin resistance was present in 11.1%. Metabolic syndrome was correlated with age, gender, number of triggers, years of headache and duration of migraine attacks. Insulin resistance correlated with duration of migraine attacks. From this study, it can be concluded that metabolic syndrome was present in 31.9% of the migraineurs which was mainly in elderly who had longer duration of headache and multiple triggers.