Evaluation of serum levels of irisin and nesfatin-1 in patients with migraine without aura

INTRODUCTION: Migraine is a chronic neurological disorder. A number of cytokines have been linked to the pathogenesis of migraine. This is a preliminary assessment to determine and analyze the serum levels of irisin and nesfatin-1 in patients with migraine without aura.

METHODS: A total of 80 participants, 40 patients who had been diagnosed with migraine without aura (10 men, 30 women) and 40 healthy controls (10 men, 30 women), were included in the study. The serum irisin and nesfatin-1 parameters were investigated using blood samples drawn from the patient and control groups.
RESULTS: The mean serum irisin level was 16.87±14.66 ng/mL in the migraine group and 17.33±17.18 ng/mL in the healthy controls. No significant p value was determined (p=0.470), but the level was slightly lower in the migraine group. The mean nesfatin-1 level was 4.71±5.96 mmol/L in the migraine group and 4.13±5.41 mmol/L in the healthy controls (p=0.19), again revealing a small but statistically insignificant difference. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference according to age group, visual analog scale score for pain, body mass index, or length of disease duration.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although no statistically significant differences were observed, the present study is believed to be the first to provide insight on the serum levels of irisin and nesfatin-1 in migraine without aura patients.