Evaluation DAO-deficiency patients migraine. Carmen Vidal1, Feliu Titus2 y Rafael Guayta-Escolies3 1
Professor of Nutrition and Bromatology at University of Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain); Member of honour in the
Spanish Society of Neorology, Madrid (Spain) and Scientific assessor in the Spanish Association of Patients with
Headache (AEPAC), Valencia (Spain); Assessor in the Department of Clinical projects at the Pharmacists Association of Barcelona, Barcelona (Spain).
Correspondence address: Tel: +34 935 533 692; Fax: +34 934 176 099. E-mail: [email protected] Presented: 24 may 2010
Abstract Objective: To determine the proportion of patients diagnosed with migraine that present DAO-deficiency regarding the observed deficit in non-migrainous population. Hypothesis: Migrainous patients present lower DAO concentrations than healthy subjects. Therefore, this deficiency may be the cause of histamine intolerance and represents a physiopathological factor of the studied neurological entity. That being the case, an etiologic treatment approach could be hypothesized based on the administration of DAO in patients with this deficiency. Design of the trial: A descriptive observational cross-sectional prospective study with a control group without masking or randomisation. Sample population: The target population are volunteer subjects suffering migraine, members of the Spanish Association of Patients with Headache that meet the diagnostic criteria accepted by the International Headache Society (IHS). The healthy controls are chosen among volunteers of their microsocial environment. Key words: Histamine, diamine Oxidase (DAO), migraine, food histaminosis. Introduction
5-HT(IB/ID) has occurred in parallel with
Sumatriptan and the successive generations of
Migraine is a complex neurological disease,
recurrent and incapacitating. It is suspected a
genetic origin, but its etiopathogeny remains
The prophylaxis of migraine contemplates
frequently with these agonists, calcium channel
blockers and beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.
Despite this progress, and due to its complex
electrophysiological, molecular and genetic
approaches constitute a setting of findings that
underdiagnosed and sometimes undertreated.
The last studies about the treatment focus the
need to find new approaches that insist on the
Headache is often unilateral, pulsating and
nausea and vomiting. Headache is the major and
One of the most significant is histamine. This
most important clinical sign of migraine.
substance has a selective affinity to H3 recipient
and may have an inhibitory effect of the
Most of the therapeutic approaches for the acute
interfacing with the vascular recipients. In the
This biogenic amine is in different concentrations
of many food of the daily diet. In healthy people,
(ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, etc.). In the last
20 years, the advent of agonist recipients
oxidases, but certain people presenting a lower activity of these
Presented in the International Awareness Day for migraine at the Spanish Parliament, coinciding with the Spanish presidency
of the European Union; 24th may 2010. All rights reserved @ To request permission, please email to [email protected]
oxidases may have a higher risk of histaminic
Hypothesis: Migrainous patients present lower
toxicity. Histamine intolerance, involved in
DAO concentrations than healthy subjects.
Therefore, this deficiency could be the cause of
inflammatory nature, including migraine, is the
result of an imbalance between accumulation
neurological entity. That being the case, an
Histamine is essentially metabolized by two
hypothesized based on the administration of
ways, methylation and desamination. In the last
way, acts the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) or
the histaminase, followed by a conjugation of
observational cross-sectional prospective study
ribose to form the riboside of the imidazole acid.
DAO is the enzyme with higher involvement in
the metabolization of the ingested histamine. It is
accepted therefore that a decrease in the
Material and methods:
histamine degradation related to a decrease in
DAO activity may be the cause of an excess of
1.-Target population. The target population are
histamine that would increase the risk of
volunteer subjects suffering migraine, members
suffering different clinical pictures that mimic an
of the Spanish Association of Patients with
allergic-type reaction: diarrhea, conjunctivitis,
Headache that meet the diagnostic criteria
rhinitis, asthma, low blood pressure, arrhythmia,
accepted by the International Headache Society
hives, flushing, itching and headache among
(IHS). The healthy controls are chosen among
volunteers of their microsocial environment.
The intake of alcohol or food rich in histamine
2.-Sample volume. Among an unknown
that increases the histamine concentration or the
proportion of migrainous subjects presenting
blockage of DAO activity could trigger the above
histamine intolerance due to DAO-deficiency, it
was chosen the most unfavourable proportion
p=0,05. For a unilateral hypothesis with an alpha
error of 0,05, a power of the trial of 0,9 and with
decreasing the intake of alcohol or food rich in
the aim of detecting intergroup differences of
histamine or by favouring the action of oxidases.
10%, volunteer patients were recluted during a
month, until the sample of 164 patients was
Probably, its existence could be underestimated
symptommatology associated with histamine
3.-Sampling technique. The patients fulfilling
intolerance. Despite the fact that existing
the inclusion criteria defined in the trial, were
evidences in the literature are not conclusive,
selected by a simple non-random sampling
experts recommend to develop experimental
among those volunteer subjects that apply for
studies to determine the presence of histamine
participating in the trial through the recruitment
intolerance in patients with this clinical picture.
page of the Spanish Association of Patients with
Headache. Likewise, non-migrainous patients in
In recent times, unverified information suggests
the control group, were selected among those
a genetic role, not in the genesis of migraine, but
subjects that, voluntarily, wanted to be included
in the deficiency of oxidases. In such a way that
in the control group and were members of the
what could be transmitted was the histamine
microsocial environment of the patients.
intolerance condition linked to the deficiency of
Both contingents were assigned by the research
team without randomization or masking to the
Objective: To determine the proportion of
patients diagnosed with migraine that present DAO-deficiency regarding the observed deficit in non-migrainous population.
Presented in the International Awareness Day for migraine at the Spanish Parliament, coinciding with the Spanish presidency
of the European Union; 24th may 2010. All rights reserved @ To request permission, please email to [email protected]4.- Sample size: The total sample size was 164
1.- The average age for patients with migraine is
patients distributed in two groups, of 82 patients
37,98 years with a standard deviation of +/- 12,46
each; group 1 (migrainous) and group 2 (non-
years. The mode is established between 32 and
migrainous) , without stratification by age, sex, or
46 years. The age range varies between 17 and
5.- Recruitment period. Patients were recruited
2.- The 65% of the studied patients present a
between the 8th and 26th of February, until the
diagnostic time of 10 years or more. The 85% of
the patients have an accurate diagnosis made
6.- Description: The trial expected to determine
the level of DAO activity in the subjects
3.- The average intensity perceived by the
patients, measured with a validated visual
determination with validated ELISA procedure
analogue scale, was 7,7 (minimum value 0,
and the use of a test with acceptable predictive
maximum value 10) with a standard deviation of
value and a defined cut-off point. The trial was
+/- 1,58. The mode was 8. The 38.8% of the
developed by properly trained personnel and
patients presented this value. It should be
using accurately calibrated devices in Sabater-
emphasised that 12 (15%) of them suffered a pain
Tabella Análisis S.A. laboratory, that owns the
described as unbearable (maximum store of 10)
appropriate accreditation to carry out the trial.
Both groups of patients underwent a blood
4.- The average obtained for the value of DAO
activity in migrainous patients was 45,87 with a
7.- Materials:
The obtained range varies between 20,9 and 155.
3.- A number of 164 analytical tests to determine
The 48,8% of patients present values compatible
with a much reduced DAO activity, the 47%
5.- Documentation to inform about the inclusion
values compatible with reduced DAO activity and
participating in the trial to the Spanish Data
5.- The 50% of patients presented an average of
8.- Trial duration: The fieldwork for the trial took
place during February 2010. The analytical part
6.- The 95% of migrainous patients underwent
of the trial was finished in 2 months after the end
symptoms related to non-migrainous pathology
compatible with histamine intolerance when
eating certain food or after drinking alcohol.
Rule values and evaluation criteria
The 41,3% of patients underwent 3 or 4 of these
DAO < 40 HDU/ml
The proportion contrast and the comparison of
DAO 40 - 80 HDU/ml
averages carried out in the migrainous group
regarding the control group, show the next results:
DAO > 80 HDU/ml
a. Despite the average value of DAO activity for both groups is situated in the category of reduced
activity, the comparison of the said average value, is lower in the intervention group (45,88) than in
It has been developed a descriptive analysis of the characteristics of the population being studied
Presented in the International Awareness Day for migraine at the Spanish Parliament, coinciding with the Spanish presidency
of the European Union; 24th may 2010. All rights reserved @ To request permission, please email to [email protected]
the control group (56,37), with a difference
Moreover, the proportion of subjects with much
between averages of -10,49 (IC 95% 3,58:-
reduced activity values is higher in the
17,41). The difference observed is statistically
b. Bringing together the categories of reduced
DAO activity (very low and low) the average
The results answered affirmatively to the
value obtained for DAO activity is lower among
question targeted in the research, so it can be
the migrainous group (41,73) than in the control
stated that DAO activity is significantly lower
group (48,73), with an observed difference
migrainous patients regarding
between averages of -6,99 ( IC 95% -2,988:-
controls.
11,008). The difference observed is statistically
It should be noted, that this difference could be
undervalued, being some of the control subjects
c.- Among those with a reduced DAO activity,
members of the microsocial environment of the
there is in the migrainous group, a higher
cases or having kinship relationships. If it is
proportion of patients (52%) with a very low DAO
assumed a genetic etiology of the studied
activity (<40), regarding the controls (29%). This
enzyme deficiency, controls could present this
is, therefore, a significant difference (p=0.004).
deficiency in higher proportion than general
population despite not appearing as neurological
If this proportion is observed by bringing together
the categories of reduced activity (>40 y <80)
and normal activity (>80) regarding a very low
There is a higher risk of suffering migraine in
activity (<40), the difference gains even more
subjects that have a much reduced DAO activity
statistical significance (p=0.001), because the
(<40) or reduced (>40 y <80) regarding those
relative "weight" of very low activity, has a higher
subjects with a normal activity (>80). The excess
of risk is all the higher the smaller the DAO
d. The odds (excess of risk ratio) that a patient
with a much reduced indicative value of DAO
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Presented in the International Awareness Day for migraine at the Spanish Parliament, coinciding with the Spanish presidency
of the European Union; 24th may 2010. All rights reserved @ To request permission, please email to [email protected]
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