Insulin Resistance in Pediatric Migraine

Background: In children, migraines can affect 3% to 10% of the population and are a common complaint. The present study aims to evaluate the relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and migraine in pediatric patients who have migraine. While there is a dearth of data in the pediatric population, several studies in the adult community have demonstrated a correlation between IR and migraine. Patients and Methods: A controlled cross-sectional study including 40 healthy children and 30 patients with migraine who were recruited from the pedi3atric neurology department was carried out on children between the ages of 4 and 16. The International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) -II criteria were used to diagnose migraine. Every patient's anthropometric measures were included. The Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI equation) were used to measure insulin resistance. Results: The average age of migraine patients was 10.03 ± 2.16 years, with a predominance of males. Eighty percent of the patients were not yet in puberty. Of our patients, 13 (43.3%) had an aura-producing headache, 24 (80%) had a family history, and the most prevalent type (71.4%) was bilateral headache. The BMI of the migraine group increased significantly (P= 0.03). Twenty percent of patients with migraine were obese, and fifty percent were overweight. Patients with migraines had significantly higher incidences of insulin resistance according to HOMA-IR and QUICKI (P=0.007 and0.033, respectively). Conclusion: Based on the results of our investigation, it can be said that thirty six percent of patients with pediatric migraine have insulin resistance.