Insulin resistance in migraineurs: results from a case-control study

Several studies have suggested an association between migraine and insulin resistance (IR) without adequately addressing the issue according to migraine type. We assessed IR in subjects with migraine with aura (MwA) and migraine without aura (MwoA) to estimate the consistency of the possible association.

In a case-control study we included case subjects with MwA and MwoA, who were consecutively selected from those referred to our Regional Headache Center from September 2011 to February 2013, and age-matched control subjects selected using general practitioners' databases. IR was calculated by means of the homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), β-cell function (HOMA-B), and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) measuring glucose and insulin values in a blood sample collected in the morning after overnight fasting. Data regarding anthropometric measures, comorbidity risk factors, and migraine characteristics were also recorded.

We recruited 50 case subjects with MwA (38 women) and 50 with MwoA (40 women) and 50 control subjects (40 women). Proportions of arterial hypertension, cigarette smoking, hypercholesterolemia, use of oral contraceptives, and mean values of the body mass index (BMI) were similar in the three groups. We found significantly different glucose values among and within groups considering case subjects with MwA and MwoA and control subjects (4.9 ± 0.6 vs 4.7 ± 0.5 vs 4.6 ± 0.5 mmol/l; P  = 0.018) in the absence of any difference in insulin (53.1 ± 24.0 vs 56.7 ± 34.4 vs 53.8 ± 24.4 pmol/l; P  = 0.811), HOMA-IR (1.6 ± 0.8 vs 1.7 ± 1.0 vs 1.6 ± 0.7; P  = 0.765), HOMA-B (121.4 ± 71.1 vs 149.2 ± 93.8 vs 162.8 ± 109.7; P  = 0.107), and QUICKI (0.36 ± 0.03 vs 0.37 ± 0.03 vs 0.37 ± 0.03; P  = 0.877) values. The logistic regression model showed increased odds of MwA in subjects exposed to the highest tertile of glucose values. This association was confirmed in the adjusted model, in which case subjects with MwA were compared with those with MwoA but not with control subjects.

In contrast to what has been shown by the majority of the available studies, the results of our study do not support the association of migraine with IR. As our study was not population-based and several patients had low disease activity, these findings need further confirmation.