title: Pressure pain threshold in the craniocervical muscles of women with episodic and chronic migraine: a controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the craniocervical muscles in women with episodic migraine (EM) n=15 and chronic migraine (CM) n=14, and in healthy volunteers (C) n=15.
  
  
  METHODS
  A blinded examiner obtained the PPT bilaterally, by pressure algometry, for the following muscles: frontalis, temporalis, masseter, trapezius and sternocleidomastoid. ANOVA (p<0.05) was used for statistical purposes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Contrasted to controls, individuals with EM had significantly decreased PPT values for frontal muscle (EM: 2.01±0.67 vs. C: 2.85±0.71), posterior temporalis bilaterally (right and left, respectively) (EM: 2.72±0.89 vs. C: 3.36±0.72 and EM: 2.60±1.00 vs. C: 3.35±0.85), upper trapezius bilaterally (EM: 2.69±1.00 vs. C: 3.49±0.83 and EM: 2.54±0.93 vs. C: 3.32±0.97) and women with CM: on frontal muscle bilaterally (CM: 2.16±0.52 vs. C: 2.79±0.71 and CM: 2.01±0.67 vs. C: 2.85±0.71) and upper trapezius (CM: 2.66±0.84 vs. C: 3.32±0.97), however, it was not verified differences between PPT values between EM and CM groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PPT is decreased in women with migraine relative to controls. Future studies should explore this parameter as a biological marker of the disease and a predictor of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechanics Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Locomotor Apparatus, Av. Bandeirantes 3900 - 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto SP - Brazil. deborabg@fmrp.usp.br
authors.forename: Débora Bevilaqua
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Grossi
authors.forename: Thais Cristina
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chaves
authors.forename: Maria Claudia
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Viviane Coimbra
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Alexandra Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Canonica
authors.forename: Lidiane Lima
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Florencio
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bordini
authors.forename: José Geraldo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Speciali
authors.forename: Marcelo Eduardo
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Bigal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D013703:Temporal Muscle / Q000502:physiology