Blood biomarker identified for episodic migraines

A biomarker in the blood has been identified that indicates episodic migraines.- JR

A team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore claims to have identified a biomarker present in the blood for episodic migraine. According to the researchers, the study findings could potentially have significant implications in diagnosis and treatment of episodic migraine.

A person suffers from episodic migraine when he or she experiences less than 15 headaches in a month. The author of the study, published in the journal Neurology, B. Lee Peterlin, says that “while more research is required to confirm the initial findings, the possibility of discovering a new biomarker for migraine is exciting.”

During the study, the researchers analyzed the neurological exam, blood samples and body mass index of a group of 52 women with episodic migraine and 36 women with no history of migraine headaches. The first group of the women had an average of 5.6 headache days in a month.

In the blood samples, the researchers looked for a group of lipids called ceramides, which plays a role in homeostasis and also helps regulate brain inflammation. The researchers found that in women with episodic migraine, the level of ceramides decreased.

Women suffering from migraine had 6,000 nanograms per milliliter of ceramides in their blood as compared to the women with no headache, who had 10,500 nanograms per milliliter of ceramide. Therefore, the researchers associated the standard deviation increase in levels of ceramide with a 92 percent less risk of developing migraine.

In another small random study, the researchers studied the levels of ceramide in a group of 14 subjects. Based on the levels of the ceramide, the team was able to correctly identify whether the participant had episodic migraine or not.

"This study is a very important contribution to our understanding of the underpinnings of migraine and may have wide-ranging effects in diagnosing and treating migraine if the results are replicated in further studies," said Karl Ekbom of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ekbom further said that some of the shortfalls of the study include non-inclusion of males and exclusion of chronic migraine.

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Biomarkers predict outcomes for children's brain injuries

Biomarkers found in cerebrospinal fluid can predict outcomes for pediatric traumatic brain injuries.

The study aims to systematically review the literature on brain injury biomarkers, defined as any injury biomarker detected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or blood injury biomarkers primarily expressed in the brain parenchyma, to determine outcome prediction in pediatric severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). Based on the status of current sTBI biomarker research, the authors recommend that future research should be directed at both novel biomarker discovery and validation of biomarker panels in large, well–designed longitudinal studies.

Methods

• A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Pubmed, and the Cochrane Database, as well as grey literature sources, personal contacts, hand searches, and reference lists.
• The search terms used were traumatic brain injury, biomarkers, prognosis, and children.
• No language, publication type, or publication date restrictions were imposed.
• All articles were critically reviewed by two clinicians independently.

Results

• A total of 7,150 articles were identified initially with 16 studies identified for review.
• Eighteen different biomarkers were examined; 11 in CSF and 7 in blood.
• Outcomes assessed included either in–hospital mortality or functional state (hospital discharge, 3–months or 6–months; Glasgow Outcome Scale or Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category).
• Significant correlations were established between sTBI outcomes and various biomarkers in CSF (IL–6, IL–8, IL–1β, S100β, NGF, NSE, DCX, ET–1, HMGB–1, cytochrome C) and blood (GFAP, NF–H, UCH–L1, SBDP–145, leptin).
• Mixed results were obtained for blood S100β.
• Outcome did not correlate with several biomarkers in either CSF (BDNF, GDNF, α–Syn) or blood (NSE, MBP).
• The Class of Evidence was considered II in 1 study and III in the remaining 15 studies.

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