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Blood Flow Velocity and Pulsatility Index Differences in Patients With Unilateral Migraine
Author(s) -
Chernyshev Oleg Y.,
Vein Aleksandr M.,
Mathew Ninan T.,
Kolosova Olga A.,
Kailasam Jayasree,
Frolov Anna,
Danilov Andrei B.,
Meadors Lori,
Gentry Paula,
Alexandrov Andrei V.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1046/j.1526-4610.2001.041007704.x
Subject(s) - medicine , migraine , transcranial doppler , basilar artery , aura , middle cerebral artery , migraine with aura , anesthesia , cerebral arteries , cerebral blood flow , cardiology , ischemia
Objective.—To evaluate blood flow velocity and pulsatility in unilateral migraine without aura during the headache‐free period using transcranial Doppler (TCD) sonography. Methods.—Patients with unilateral headache were recruited during the headache‐free period. Maximum mean flow velocity (MFV) and pulsatility index (PI) were measured in the middle cerebral (MCA) and basilar arteries. Controls were headache‐free individuals without cerebrovascular disease. Results.—Twenty‐five patients with right‐sided migraine, 25 patients with left‐sided migraine, and 19 controls were studied. The MCA PI was higher on the right headache side versus the left headache side (0.97 ± 0.2 versus 0.86 ± 0.1 cm/s, P = .02) and versus controls (0.9 ± 0.2 cm/s, NS). The basilar artery MFV was higher in patients with right‐sided headache versus left‐sided headache (39.5 ± 5.6 versus 34.7 ± 8.2 cm/s, P = .02) and versus controls (38.2 ± 8 cm/s, NS). No decrease in MFV with age was observed in patients with migraine. Conclusions.—Middle cerebral artery flow pulsatility and basilar artery velocity are higher in patients with right‐sided migraine compared with left‐sided migraineurs, during the headache‐free period. Although these parameters were similar to controls, the differences found during the headache‐free period in migraineurs may indicate vascular involvement predisposing to the unilateral headache recurrence.