title: Prevalence of HLA DQB1*0602 allele in patients with migraine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown a high prevalence of migraine among narcoleptic patients. HLA-DQB1*0602 and HLA DRB1 alleles are closely associated with narcolepsy. An increase in the HLA-DRB1 allele frequency in patients with visual aura has raised greater awareness of the genetic background in migraine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Since the regions DR and DQ of the HLA are in tightly linkage desiquilibrium we hypothesize that HLA-DQB1*0602 might be associated to the pathophysiology of migraine.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the presence of HLA DQB1*0602 allele in 50 healthy subjects with no history of migraine, 53 patients with migraine without aura and 52 patients with migraine with aura.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the frequency of HLA DQB1*0602 allele when control subjects and all patients were compared. We failed to note any difference in frequencies when comparing migraine patients with and without aura.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies with different patient populations, with other hypothalamic markers (melatonin, hypocretin) in migraine patients may shed light on to its pathophysiology.
authors.affiliation: Psychobiology Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. fernandomorgadinho@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Fernando Morgadinho Santos
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Márcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pradella-Hallinan
authors.forename: Paulo Corrêa
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Abud
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Predazzoli Neto
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Lia Rita Azeredo
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.forename: Mario Fernandes Pietro
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tufik
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020325:Migraine with Aura / Q000235:genetics*; D020326:Migraine without Aura / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D059866:HLA-DQ beta-Chains; C069051:HLA-DQB1 antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins