Blood flow velocity and pulsatility index differences in patients with unilateral migraine.
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.
Chernyshev
O Y
OY
Houston (Tex) Headache Clinic, USA.
Vein
A M
AM
Mathew
N T
NT
Kolosova
O A
OA
Kailasam
J
J
Frolov
A
A
Danilov
A B
AB
Meadors
L
L
Gentry
P
P
Alexandrov
A V
AV
D000328:Adult; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000503:physiopathology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011674:Pulse