The relationship between pain and serum nitric oxide levels in patient with migraine

Abstract

This study is designed to compare the serum levels of nitric oxide (NO), a chemical substance that has effects on migraine pain, during and between attacks in patients with migraine and healthy control group and to evaluate the relationship between NO serum levels and characteristics of pain. The study group consisted of 26 female (mean age 32±8.57) and 13 male (mean age 32.28± 10.15) migrainous patients diagnosed according to ıHS criteria and equal number of healthy subjects with the same gender distribution and mean age. The serum samples were evaluated with RL spectrophotometer (546nm wavelength). Parametric student-t, Wilcoxon matched tests and Spearman correlation were used far statistical analysis. The mean period of disease was 11±5.07 years, attack frequency was 5±1.37 times a month, mean duration of pain was 31 12.34 hours and severity of pain according to visual analog scale was 8.5±1.32. The initial and attack serum levels of NO in migrainous patients were 62.35±25.75 and 95.27±42.67 ?M respectively. The levels in control group were 34.01±13.28 ?M. The serum levels of NO during ictal and interictal periods in the patients with migraine were significantly higher than control group (p<0.001). The ictal levels of NO in the patients were significantly higher (p<0.001). The correlation analysis showed higher ictal NO levels in patients with frequent attacks, severe pain, and late inquire time (r>0.25). Conclusively, NO levels were significantly higher in the patients with migraine, especially during attack and high levels of NO had an important effect on characteristics of pain.