The Serum Concentration of Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Childhood Migraine

Han, Moon Hee; Kim, Deok Soo; Shim, Jung Yeon; Shim, Jae Won; Jung, Hye Lim; Park, Moon Soo

Abstract

PURPOSE: Migraine is a common neurological disorder, but the mechanism has not yet been apparently discovered. Recent studies have found that migrainous headache comes from the hemodynamic changes based on the cortical spreading depression and matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)-9 has an important role in this phenomenon. The aim of this study is to investigate the significance of the serum concentration of MMP-9 in children with migraine.
METHODS
Among 33 children who visited the headache clinic, from June 2004 to August 2004 we identified and analyzed the clinical findings of 17 patients, who were diagnosed as migraine or tension-type headache. Also we selected 9 children as a healthy control group. The serum concentrations of MMP-9 from all of those were obtained via ELISA kits.
RESULTS
The mean duration of headache was 1.3 years in the migraine group. Also, the frequency of migraine is as follows:everyday in 4 patients and more than once during weekdays in 5 patients. The character of headache was throbbing in 8 patients out of 9 patients with migraine. There were no significant differences found in the serum concentrations of MMP-9 between the control group and the migraine group. The serum concentrations of MMP-9 were significantly high, of those who had frequent attacks of migrainous headache.
CONCLUSION
The serum concentrations of MMP-9 in the migraine group were not significantly high compared with those in the control group. However, the levels were high from those who complained of migraine frequently. This study suggests that the serum concentration of MMP-9 is not high during a normal period but increases when migraine occurrs.