NEUTROPHIL-LYMPHOCYTE RATIO CAN DISTINGUISH MIGRAINE PATIENTS FROM OTHER PATIENTS WITH NONSPECIFIC HEADACHE IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

Abstract

Introduction: In the emergency departments a distinctive diagnosis of patients suffering from non-specific headache and patients with migraine is essential. In this study we aimed at the investigation of hematologic inflammatory parameters such as Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and the Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW) in order to distinguish migraine and the non-specific headache. Material and method: 100 study patients with the diagnosis of acute migraine and 65 control patients with non-specific headache were included into the study. The patients' age, gender, presence of aura and disease duration, frequency, severity and used medicines were recorded. In the blood tests, hematological parameters and the ferritin values were analyzed. p <= 0.05 was agreed to be significant. Findings: There was a signicant difference found in terms of white blood cell(WBC), Neutrophil, NLR and Hb values between the migraine group and the control group of patients. In the distinction of migraine and the non-specific headache the Area Under Curve(AUC) of NLR, RDW and PLR was respectively 0.52 and 0.51, 0.66. In the study group the relationship between the severity of headache and the MPV was had (p=0.022). It was found that when the cut-off value of NLR was 1.33, the sensitivity amounted to 84% and when the cut-off value was 2.88, the record of specificity was 90.8%. The relationship between the severity of the migraine headache and the mean platelet volume (MPV) was had. Conclusion: NLR can be used in order to distinguish a headache related to the migraine and the non-specific headache. MPV can indicate the severity of the migraine headache of the patients.