Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Oct 30;9(11):1660.
doi: 10.3390/children9111660.

Selected Factors of Vascular Changes: The Potential Pathological Processes Underlying Primary Headaches in Children

Joanna Sordyl  1 , Ilona Kopyta  2 , Beata Sarecka-Hujar  3 , Pawel Matusik  4 , Tomasz Francuz  5 , Ewa Malecka-Tendera  6
Affiliations

Selected Factors of Vascular Changes: The Potential Pathological Processes Underlying Primary Headaches in Children

Joanna Sordyl et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: The prevalence, social consequences and complicated pathogenesis make headaches in children a significant clinical issue. Studies in adults suggest that primary headaches could be the first sign of atherosclerosis and platelet aggregation.

Aim: To analyze the blood levels of selected biomarkers of vascular changes potentially associated with a higher risk of atherosclerosis in children with primary headaches.

Methods: The medical family history, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), soluble CD40 ligands (sCD40L), endothelial plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI I), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intima-media thickness (IMT) measurements were performed in the 83 children (52 with primary headaches, 31 controls). Selected factors were compared with basic laboratory parameters that are potentially related to atherosclerosis: C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipid concentration.

Results: There were no significant differences in biomarkers of vascular changes in the study group and controls in general. In the study group, boys had a higher BDNF level than girls (p = 0.046). Normal-weight migraine patients had significantly higher PAI-I levels than controls (p = 0.034). A positive correlation between PAI-1 and triglycerides (TG) was observed. IMT did not differ between children with primary headaches and controls; however, IMT showed a positive correlation with BMI z-score and TG. Children with headaches had, more often, a positive family history of cardiovascular disease (p = 0.049).

Conclusions: There were no clear clinical changes indicative of atherosclerosis in the study population. However, some trends are visible. Primary headaches are more often related to a family history of cardiovascular diseases. IMT is associated with TG levels and BMI z-score. The measured biomarkers of vascular changes show mutual relations.

Keywords: atherosclerosis; children; dyslipidemia; headaches.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagram of the common carotid artery in ultrasound examination. IMT—intima media thickness, IAD—interadventitial diameter; LD—lumen diameter.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sillanpaa M. Changes in the prevalence of migraine and other headache during the first seven school years. Headache. 1983;23:15–19. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1983.hed2301015.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Deubner D.C. An epidemiologic study of migraine and headache in 10–20 year olds. Headache. 1977;17:173–180. doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1977.hed1704173.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Linet M., Stewart W.F., Celentano D.D., Ziegler D., Sprecher M. An epidemiologic study of headache among adolescents and young adults. JAMA. 1989;261:2211–2216. doi: 10.1001/jama.1989.03420150061038. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Abu-Arafeh I., Razak S., Sivaraman B., Graham C. Prevalence of headache and migraine in children and adolescents: A systematic review of population-based studies. Dev. Med. Child Neurol. 2010;52:1088–1097. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2010.03793.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rasmussen B.K., Jensen R., Schroll M., Olesen J. Epidemiology of headache in a general population—A prevalence study. J. Clin. Epidemiol. 1991;44:1147–1157. doi: 10.1016/0895-4356(91)90147-2. - DOI - PubMed