Mustafa Öztürk1, Oğuzhan Ekrem Turan2, Kayıhan Karaman3, Nuray Bilge4, Gökhan Ceyhun5, Ugur Aksu5, Emrah Aksakal5, Oktay Gulcu5, Kamuran Kalkan5, Selami Demirelli5. 1. Department of Cardiology, University of Health Sciences, Erzurum Education and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey. Electronic address: mozturk81@yahoo.com. 2. Department of Cardiology, Aydın Atatürk State Hospital, Aydın, Turkey. 3. Department of Cardiology, Gaziosmanpaşa University, Faculty of Medicine, Tokat, Turkey. 4. Department of Neurology, Atatürk University, Faculty of Medicine, Erzurum, Turkey. 5. Department of Cardiology, University of Health Sciences, Erzurum Education and Research Hospital, Erzurum, Turkey.
Abstract
AIMS: Migraine is a chronic neurovascular disorder characterized by intermittent episodes of severe headache. Abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems) have been detected during migraine-free periods in patients with migraine. In these patients, disrupted autonomic innervations of the heart and coronary arteries may lead to electrocardiographic changes during a migraine attack. T-wave peak-to-end interval (Tp-e interval) and Tp-e/QT ratio are relatively new markers of ventricular arrhythmogenesis and repolarization heterogeneity. In the present observational study, we investigated the changes in ventricular repolarization during migraine attacks and attack-free periods by performing 12‑lead electrocardiography (ECG). METHODS: This study included 63 patients (54 [86%] women; mean age: 33.3 ± 9.9 years) with migraine. The QT and corrected QT (QTc) intervals, Tp-e interval, and Tp-e/QT ratio of the patients during migraine attacks and attack-free periods were measured by performing 12‑lead ECG. RESULTS: The QT and QTc intervals, Tp-e interval, and Tp-e/QT ratio were higher during migraine attacks than during attack-free periods (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that migraine attacks are associated with an increase in ventricular repolarization parameters compared with attack-free periods possibly because of the dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system.
AIMS: Migraine is a chronic neurovascular disorder characterized by intermittent episodes of severe headache. Abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems) have been detected during migraine-free periods in patients with migraine. In these patients, disrupted autonomic innervations of the heart and coronary arteries may lead to electrocardiographic changes during a migraine attack. T-wave peak-to-end interval (Tp-e interval) and Tp-e/QT ratio are relatively new markers of ventricular arrhythmogenesis and repolarization heterogeneity. In the present observational study, we investigated the changes in ventricular repolarization during migraine attacks and attack-free periods by performing 12‑lead electrocardiography (ECG). METHODS: This study included 63 patients (54 [86%] women; mean age: 33.3 ± 9.9 years) with migraine. The QT and corrected QT (QTc) intervals, Tp-e interval, and Tp-e/QT ratio of the patients during migraine attacks and attack-free periods were measured by performing 12‑lead ECG. RESULTS: The QT and QTc intervals, Tp-e interval, and Tp-e/QT ratio were higher during migraine attacks than during attack-free periods (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that migraine attacks are associated with an increase in ventricular repolarization parameters compared with attack-free periods possibly because of the dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system.