Evaluation of simple inflammatory blood parameters in patients with migraine

This study aimed to identify the serum neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP)/albumin (CAR) ratios among patients with diagnosis of migraine according to migraine subtypes (attack/attack-free period, migraine with or without aura, episodic/chronic migraine, family history/no family history) and to collect data to investigate the role of inflammation and oxidative stress in etiology.

The study was completed with 235 patients with migraine diagnosis classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders-2013(ICHD) classification and 166 healthy controls. Patients with migraine were assessed during the attack by emergency medicine specialists in the emergency room and in attack-free periods in neurology clinics by neurology specialists.

Of patients with migraine, 77.02% were female and 22.98% were male. The neutrophil, NLR, PLR, and MLR levels were higher than the control group (p < 0.05). The serum CRP, neutrophil, NLR, MLR, and CAR levels were higher, and albumin and lymphocyte levels were lower during migraine attack periods (p < 0.05). Migraines with aura were observed to have higher serum NLR levels compared to the aura-free patients (p < 0.05). Migraine patients with positive family history were found to have higher NLR levels compared to patients without a family history (p < 0.05).

Although non-specific, serum NLR, MLR, PLR, and CAR levels may be potential biomarkers associated with migraine subtypes with different clinical features such as migraine attack period, migraine with aura, and patients with family history of migraine. Elevated inflammatory markers may indicate the severity of disease.