Lipid profile in normal weight migraineurs - evidence for cardiovascular risk

Background: Recent studies suggest that migraine is associated with metabolic disorders. In particular, migraine may be associated with cardiovascular risk; however, an association of migraine with cardiovascular risk factors like hypercholesterolemia has been proposed, but previous studies have yielded in part conflicting results. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the lipid profile in normal weight migraine patients. Methods: One hundred thirty-six probands participated in this study. The study group was divided into normal weight migraineurs and control groups, including normal weight controls, obese and overweight controls and migraineurs. Various parameters of the lipid metabolism and inflammatory parameters were investigated. Results: We found significant increased cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and oxidized LDL-C in normal weight migraineurs. Increased oxidized LDL-C was associated with a 7.93-fold increased risk for migraine. Alterations in the lipid profile were not accompanied by increased inflammatory parameters. Conclusions: We show here that normal weight migraineurs exhibit independent of aura symptoms an atherogenic lipid profile, which shares common features with obesity-related lipid alterations. Our data suggest that migraine is associated with a higher risk for cardiovascular disease and its clinical consequences.