The Frequency of Factor V Leiden, Prothrombin G20210A and Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T Mutations in Migraine Patients

OBJECTIVE: Migraine is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke, but its pathophysiology is still unclear. Genetic factors that predispose patients to thrombosis have been studied in patients with migraine to highlight the pathogenesis, but the results remain controversial. In this study, the frequencies of factor V Leiden (FVL), prothrombin (Pt) G20210A and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutations were investigated.
METHODS: One hundred and sixty patients aged of 15 to 55 years with no history of systemic disease and who had been diagnosed as migraine according to the International Headache Society (IHS) diagnostic criteria at Baskent University Hospital Neurology Outpatient Clinics were investigated for FVL, Pt G20210A and MTHFR C677T mutations from their genomic DNA, and the results were compared with those of healthy controls.
RESULTS: One hundred and fifty five (96.9%) of 160 migraine patients were homozygote normal, 5 (3.1%) were heterozygote and none of them were homozygote mutant for FVL. The control group had 9.8% heterozygote individuals but the difference between the percentages was not statistically significant (p> 0.05). There were no homozygote mutant individuals in the Turkish population study in normal subjects like our study. Thirty nine (24.4%) of 160 migraine patients were heterozygote and 8 (5%) were homozygote mutant for MTHFR C677T. The control group had 37 (34.9%) heterozygote and 6 (5.6%) homozygote mutant individuals. The difference between the percentages was not statistically significant (p= 0.15). Three (1.9%) of 160 migraine patients were heterozygote and 5 (2.9%) of the control group were heterozygote mutant for Pt G20210A mutation. The control group had 37 (34.9%) heterozygote and 6 (5.6%) homozygote mutant individuals. The difference between the percentages was not statistically significant (p= 0.420).
CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that FVL, Pt G20210A and MTHFR C677T gene mutations, which are considered as risk factors for thrombosis, were not found to be associated with migraine pathogenesis in our population. The differences between populations probably depend on variations in ethnic origin.