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Published on: June 2, 2014
Cardiovascular risk factors and white matter hyperintensities in patients with migraine without aura
Ceyla Ataç Uçar1, Hafize Nalan Güneş, Cemile Sencer Demircan
1Department of Neurology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ceykubi@yahoo.com.
Objectives:
White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are observed in patients with migraine with aura (MWA) and without aura (MWO), but there are a limited number of studies regarding patients with MWA. In this study, we aimed to investigate the cardiovascular risk factors which may play a role in the development of WMHs in patients with MWO.
Methods:
This observational, analytical, case-control study was conducted between June 2016 and January 2017. It included 21 patients with MWO who had WMHs on brain MRI and 19 patients with MWO who tested normal on MRI (control group) at the Neurology Department Outpatient Polyclinic, Ankara Training and Research Hospital. The patients' data (history, family history, neurological examination findings, echocardiography findings, and cerebral MRI findings) were retrospectively reviewed.
Results:
Age, gender, body mass index, blood lipid level, migraine duration, localization of headache, average number of headache per month, medication for headache attack, and echocardiography findings were similar between the two groups. (p>0.05).
Conclusion:
In this study, we did not find any association between cardiovascular risk factors and WMHs development in patients with MWO. The association of risk factors other than cardiovascular risk factors (genetic factors and oxidative stress) with the development of WMHs in patients with MWO should also be studied in future.
Insights
This study found no link between cardiovascular risk factors and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) in migraine without aura (MWO) patients. Future research should explore genetic and oxidative stress factors for WMHs in MWO.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Cardiology
Background:
- White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are common in migraine patients.
- Limited research exists on WMHs in migraine with aura (MWA) and migraine without aura (MWO).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential cardiovascular risk factors associated with WMHs in MWO patients.
- To understand the role of cardiovascular health in the development of WMHs in MWO.
Main Methods:
- An observational, analytical, case-control study.
- Included 21 MWO patients with WMHs and 19 MWO patients without WMHs (control group).
- Retrospective review of patient data including medical history, echocardiography, and MRI findings.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found between groups regarding age, gender, BMI, lipid levels, migraine characteristics, or echocardiography findings.
- Key cardiovascular risk factors showed no association with WMHs in MWO patients.
Conclusions:
- Cardiovascular risk factors were not associated with WMH development in MWO patients.
- Further studies are recommended to explore genetic factors and oxidative stress in relation to WMHs in MWO.
