Background
Obesity is a risk factor for
migraine and
headache chronification.
Adipocytokines may be involved in this correlation. Objective To relate serum
adipocytokine levels to clinical and biochemical parameters associated with
migraine. Methods We measured levels of
leptin,
adiponectin and other inflammatory (
interleukin 6,
interleukin 10,
tumor necrosis factor α,
high sensitivity C-reactive protein) and endothelial (
pentraxin 3, soluble TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis) molecules potentially related to
migraine pathophysiology in a group of
migraine patients (IHS 2013) and healthy controls. Results One hundred and eleven patients (mean age 39.7 years, 93% female) and 24 healthy controls (mean age 35.9 years, 90% female) were included. Fifty-six patients were diagnosed with episodic
migraine (mean age 35.1 years, 98.2% female) and 55 patients with chronic
migraine (mean age 44.4 years, 89.5% female).
Leptin serum levels (15.2 ng/mL, SD = 10.5 vs . 3.1 ng/mL, SD = 0.9; p < 0.001) and
adiponectin serum levels (72.3 µg/mL, SD = 38.5 vs . 37.7 µg/mL, SD = 16.9; p < 0.001) were significantly increased in
migraine patients.
Leptin serum levels (15.5 ng/mL, SD = 9.7 vs . 10.8 ng/mL, SD = 6.0; p < 0.001) and
adiponectin serum levels (65.8 µg/mL, SD = 42.9 vs . 33.2 µg/mL, SD = 31.0; p < 0.001) were significantly higher in chronic compared to episodic
migraine patients. We found a positive correlation between
leptin levels and inflammatory
biomarkers:
IL6 (r = 0.498; p < 0.001), TNF-α (r = 0.389; p < 0.001), and
hs-CRP (r = 0.422; p < 0.001). Conclusions
Leptin and
adiponectin are increased in migraineurs. There is a correlation between
adipocytokine levels and other
inflammation-related molecules. This suggests a potential role of
adipocytokines in
migraine pathophysiology and chronification.