Association of White Matter Hyperintensities With Serum Lipid Profile and Hematologic Parameters in Migraine Patients

Abstract

Introduction Migraine is one of the most common neurological diseases. Comorbidities, especially stroke, may be observed. White matter hyperintensities are common in migraine patients. Although many factors have been associated with white matter hyperintensities, such as age, gender, migraine type, frequency, and presence of aura, the etiology of white matter hyperintensities remains unclear. We aimed to study the relationship between the development of white matter hyperintensities and serum lipid profiles and hematologic parameters in migraine patients. Methods Demographic data, comorbidities, migraine types, presence of aura, and frequency of attacks were reviewed. Cranial MRI scans, hematologic profiles, and lipid profiles were analyzed. Results The study included 51 patients with white matter hyperintensity on cranial MRI and 76 migraine patients with normal cranial MRI. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) was statistically significantly higher in the patients with white matter hyperintensity in the cranial MRI (WMH+) group. A statistically significant cut-off value was found for the PLR parameter in differentiating white matter hyperintensity on cranial MRI in migraine patients. Conclusion In our study, we examined the factors contributing to the development of white matter hyperintensity in migraine patients and observed the correlation between disease duration and white matter hyperintensity. While no correlation was observed between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and white matter hyperintensity, HDL-c was dramatically elevated in patients with white matter hyperintensity. Furthermore, our study shows that PLR is a useful, easily accessible, and practical parameter for detecting the development of white matter hyperintensity in migraine patients. Larger-scale randomized studies are needed for a clearer interpretation of these findings.

Keywords: aura; hdl-c; ldl-c; migraine; plr; white matter hyperintensity.