Canon Journal of Medicine

Canon Journal of Medicine

Evaluation of Red Cell Distribution Width Alterations with Severity of Migraine

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Rokhsareh Meamar 1
Salimeh Janghroban 2
Behnaz Ansari 2
Anahita Saeedi 3
Amirhomayoun Atefi 4
Farzaneh Tavakoli 5
1 Isfahan clinical toxicology research center, Isfahan university of medical sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 clinical research development center, Najafabad branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran
3 Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
4 Student research academy, school of medicine, Guilan University of medical sciences, Rasht, Iran
5 Hematopoietic Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
10.30477/cjm.2022.309153.1024
Abstract
Introduction: Migraine is an inflammatory condition with high prevalence. Approximately 
18% of women and 6% of men suffer from Migraine. It is classified into two groups based on 
aura manifestations. Aura is characterized by any combination of visual, hemisensory, or language abnormalities. Although not completely elucidated, one possible explanation for its cause 
may be related to the reduction of blood flow of the brain’s arteries or increased hemoglobin 
level. In this study, we aim to find out the relationship between migraine and red cell distribution width (RDW). Methods: 100 patients with migraine who were referred to specialized 
clinics Al-Zahra hospital between 2015-2016 and age and sex-matched 100 control subjects 
enrolled in this study. The disease diagnosis was confirmed by a neurologist. Fasting venous 
blood samples were taken from subjects for performing CBC, ferritin and, iron, and TIBC tests. 
HIT6 questionnaire was considered to assess the severity of migraines. Results: There were 100 
patients with a median age of 36 years (range 18-50). 22% were male and 78% were female. 
Data analysis didn’t show any relationship between migraine severity and RDW. Also, RDW 
didn’t have any relationship with the type of migraine (with aura or without aura). Conclusion: 
This study could not reveal any significant association between RDW and migraine. Observing 
high RDW in both case and control groups brings us to the hypothesis high prevalence of iron 
deficiency in our country. According to the results, low ferritin levels had a relationship with 
increased severity of migraine.
Keywords
Migraine Disorders
Aura
Erythrocyte Indices
Anemia
Subjects
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Canon Journal of Medicine
Volume 3, Issue 1
Winter 2022
Pages 15-18

  • Receive Date 05 October 2021
  • Revise Date 03 March 2021
  • Accept Date 13 March 2022