title: Effects of pregabalin on central sensitization in patients with migraine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the fact that the most recently articulated theory of migraine is the central sensitization hypothesis, few basic and clinical research studies on central sensitization have been conducted in patients with migraine. Here, we aim to reveal the risk factors of migraine with allodynia and to illustrate the effects of pregabalin on alleviating allodynia.
  
  
  METHODS
  63 migraine patients meeting the International Headache Society criteria were prospectively included. The cutaneous allodynia (CA) symptoms that occurred during headache attacks were examined with the Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC). The risk factors of allodynia were determined using logistic regression analysis. 41 patients with allodynia were treated with pregabalin (150 - 600 mg/d) for 12 weeks. The improvements in allodynia and headache severity as well as the side effects of the drug were recorded at 1 and 3 months following drug administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 63 patients, there were 41 cases (65.1%) of allodynia, including 35 cases (85.4%) of thermal allodynia, 12 cases (29.4%) of static mechanical allodynia, and 9 cases (22.0%) of dynamic mechanical allodynia. The allodynia appeared to be associated with gender (female), disease duration, and medication overuse. Compared with baseline, both the ASC scores in the three types of CA and the number of patients with allodynia were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in patients treated with pregabalin. The frequency, severity, and duration of headache as well as the migraine disability assessment (MIDAS) and headache impact test (HIT-6) scores were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) when compared with baseline. The overall efficiency of drug therapy was 85.4% among all patients who received pregabalin. There were few side effects detected, and the patients showed good tolerability to drug therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that 65.1% of patients with migraine had allodynia and that migraine with allodynia was related to the patient gender (female), disease duration, and medication overuse. Pregabalin was effective at relieving allodynia in migraine.
authors: Na
authors: N
authors: Zhang
authors: Chun-Fu
authors: CF
authors: Chen
authors: Fei-Yu
authors: FY
authors: Yu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059333:Central Nervous System Sensitization / Q000187:drug effects*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006930:Hyperalgesia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D000069583:Pregabalin; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid