Comparison the Serum Level of Prolactin Among Patients with Chronic and Episodic Migraine

Migraine is an episodic headache that is improved fairly by medical treatment، but when it becomes chronic its treatment will be more difficult. Increased serum prolactin level is suggested as one of the factors making migraine chronic. Comparison of the prolactin serum level among the patients with chronic and episodic migraine This cross-sectional study was performed from 2011 July till 2012 November on 57 female chronic migrainous (according to Silberstein definition) and 57 female episodic migrainous (according to IHS criteria) in neurology clinic of Poursina hospital in Rasht، northern Iran. The cases with menstrual irregularity، anxiety، depression، hypo or hypothyroidism، anemia، polycytemia، epilepsy، and pregnant، lactating، prepuberty and postmenopause patients and hormonal preparations were excluded from the study. The patients were required to avoid from any temporary affecting factors on prolactin serum level in the last 12 hours. Fasting blood sampling was done in the period of follicular phase and the serum level of prolactin was determined by ELISA method and compared between the two above mentioned groups. Data analysis was performed by T-test، Mann Whitney U and Qui2 tests in SPSS، version 19 software. A total of 57 patients with chronic migraine and 57 patients with episodic migraine with mean age of 33. 0 ± 8/8 and 32/7 ± 8/7 years old، respectively (P=0/712) participated in this study. The mean serum level of prolactin was 20/92 ± 12/14 ng/ dl (95% CI: 17/69-24/14) and 16/36 ± 9/34 ng/dl (95% CI: 13/88-18/84)، respectively (P=0/036). Also، with omitting the age effect، the difference was significant (P=0/022). The prevalence rates of hyperprolactinemia in chronic and episodic migraine cases were respectively 28/1% and 12/3% (P=0/036) (OR=2/8، 95% CI: 7/42-1/04). Prolactin serum level and the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in chronic migrainous cases were higher than that among episodic ones.