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Updated: Aug 22, 2025

3D-Neuronavigation In Vivo Through a Patient's Brain During a Spontaneous Migraine Headache
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Selected Factors of Vascular Changes: The Potential Pathological Processes Underlying Primary Headaches in Children

Joanna Sordyl1, Ilona Kopyta2, Beata Sarecka-Hujar3

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.

Children (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 11, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric primary headaches showed no clear atherosclerosis biomarkers, but some children had higher PAI-1 levels and a family history of cardiovascular disease. Intima-media thickness correlated with BMI and triglycerides.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Biomarker Research

Background:

  • Headaches in children are a significant clinical issue due to prevalence and social impact.
  • Adult studies suggest primary headaches may indicate early atherosclerosis and platelet aggregation.
  • Understanding potential vascular links in pediatric headaches is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate blood levels of vascular change biomarkers in children with primary headaches.
  • To assess potential associations between these biomarkers and atherosclerosis risk factors.
  • To compare biomarker levels in children with primary headaches versus healthy controls.

Main Methods:

  • Evaluated 83 children (52 with primary headaches, 31 controls) for medical history and cardiovascular biomarkers.
  • Measured brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), soluble CD40 ligands (sCD40L), PAI-I, VEGF, and intima-media thickness (IMT).
  • Correlated biomarker levels with C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipid concentrations, including triglycerides (TG).

Main Results:

  • No significant general differences in vascular biomarkers between children with headaches and controls.
  • Normal-weight migraine patients showed higher PAI-I levels; PAI-1 correlated positively with triglycerides (TG).
  • Intima-media thickness (IMT) correlated with BMI z-score and TG; headaches were more common in those with a cardiovascular family history.

Conclusions:

  • No definitive clinical signs of atherosclerosis were found in the pediatric study population.
  • Primary headaches in children may be linked to a family history of cardiovascular diseases.
  • Intima-media thickness (IMT) is associated with TG levels and BMI z-score in this cohort.
Abstract

Keywords:
atherosclerosischildrendyslipidemiaheadaches

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