Abstract
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has been found as correlated with endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress. There are few studies regarding ADMA and nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with migraine and alterations of ADMA and NO levels during migraine attack are not well-known. Therefore, in present study, we aimed to measure NO and ADMA levels in patients with migraine and compare them with the control group to investigate the correlation between migraine, oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction. The migraine group consisted of 59 patients, including 22 suffering from migraine with aura and 37 suffering from migraine without aura. The control group consisted of 31 healthy volunteers without headache. The patients in migraine group were divided into subgroups based on whether attack period was present or not and whether it was migraine with or without aura. Plasma ADMA levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Migraine patients had higher concentrations of NO (35.6 ± 7.7, 31.0 ± 6.2 μmol/L, respectively, p = 0.005) and ADMA (0.409 ± 0.028, 0.381 ± 0.044 μmol/L, respectively, p = 0.001) levels when compared with the healthy controls. During migraine attack, NO and ADMA levels were found to be significantly higher in migraine group as compared to control group (respectively, p = 0.015, p = 0.014). Similarly, NO and ADMA levels in the patients with migraine in the interictal period were found to be significantly higher as compared to control group (p = 0.011, p = 0.003). In conclusion, higher ADMA and NO levels of patients with migraine supported that oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction may have a role in migraine pathogenesis.
Highlights
Migraine is a common, chronic and disabling neurovascular disorder that characterized by severe headache attacks with photophobia, nausea, vomiting, autonomic symptoms, and in some patients with aura involving neurological symptoms
Nitric oxide, which is formed by the constitutive isoforms of NO synthase, endothelial nitric oxide synthase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase, plays an important roles in the regulation of cerebral blood flow and cell viability and in the protection of nerve cells or fibers against pathogenic factors associated with neurological disorders [3]
Our study showed that plasma concentrations of Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and NO were elevated in migraine patients as compared to control subjects
Summary
Chronic and disabling neurovascular disorder that characterized by severe headache attacks with photophobia, nausea, vomiting, autonomic symptoms, and in some patients with aura involving neurological symptoms. It has been reported that nitric oxide (NO) plays a role during trigeminovascular inflammation occurring during migraine attacks [2]. Nitric oxide, which is formed by the constitutive isoforms of NO synthase, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), plays an important roles in the regulation of cerebral blood flow and cell viability and in the protection of nerve cells or fibers against pathogenic factors associated with neurological disorders [3]. Oxidative stress due to increased NO has been found especially during attacks in patients with migraine [4, 5]. It is emphasized that neurogenic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress have a role in migraine pathogenesis [1,2,3,4,5]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
