Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 28, 2026
Author Spotlight: Innovating Thiol Quantification and Biomarker Detection for Oxidative Stress Research
Published on: June 28, 2024
Headache in children and dynamic thiol/disulfide balance evaluation with a new method
Aysegül Nese Citak Kurt1, Alperen Aydın2, Hatice Demir2
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Yenimahalle Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. drnesekurt@yahoo.com.
Insights
Pediatric headache patients, particularly those with migraine, show altered thiol/disulfide homeostasis compared to healthy children and those with tension-type headache (TTH). These findings suggest distinct biochemical profiles based on headache type.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Pediatric Neurology
- Oxidative Stress Research
Background:
- Headache is a prevalent neurological symptom in children, frequently leading to medical consultations.
- Understanding the underlying biochemical mechanisms of pediatric headaches, such as migraine and tension-type headache (TTH), is crucial for effective diagnosis and management.
- Thiol/disulfide homeostasis plays a role in various physiological and pathological processes, including oxidative stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in children experiencing headaches using a novel method.
- To investigate the relationship between headache type (migraine vs. TTH), pain severity, and duration with thiol/disulfide parameters.
- To compare thiol/disulfide homeostasis between pediatric headache patients and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 40 children with migraine, 40 with TTH, and 40 healthy controls.
- Measurement of total thiol, native thiol, and disulfide levels.
- Calculation of disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol ratios.
- Assessment of headache severity and duration, including the use of the Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment (PedMIDAS) score.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in total thiol, native thiol, or disulfide levels were observed between patient and control groups.
- Disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol ratios were significantly elevated in the migraine group compared to both TTH and control groups.
- No correlation was found between PedMIDAS scores, headache duration, and thiol/disulfide parameters in migraine patients.
- A negative correlation was identified between total thiol and native thiol levels and PedMIDAS scores in the TTH group.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric migraine and TTH exhibit distinct alterations in thiol/disulfide homeostasis.
- Elevated disulfide ratios in migraine patients suggest a potential role for oxidative stress in this condition.
- Thiol/disulfide balance may serve as a biomarker differentiating headache types in children.
Abstract:
Headache is one of the most common causes of presentation to the physician in children. We aimed to evaluate the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis with a new method in children with headache and also to investigate the relationship between the headache type, pain severity and duration in our study. We included 40 patients diagnosed with migraine, 40 patients diagnosed with tension-type headache (TTH) and 40 healthy children in the study. No significant difference was found between the total thiol, native thiol, and disulfide levels of the patient and control groups. However, the disulfide/native thiol and disulfide/total thiol ratios were higher in the migraine group than in the TTH and control groups. No correlation was found between the Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment (PedMIDAS) score and the headache duration and any of the thiol/disulfide parameters. A negative correlation was found between the total thiol and native thiol levels and the PedMIDAS score in the TTH group. Migraine and TTH patients have different effect to thiol/disulfide homeostasis.
