Adiponectin and leptin levels in migraineurs in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate adiponectin and leptin levels in older men and women with migraine.

METHODS: Fasting total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and leptin levels were evaluated in a case-cohort study of nondiabetic older migraine and nonmigraine control participants from the ongoing, longitudinal, general population, Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study at visit 1 (1987-1989). A standardized headache questionnaire was completed at visit 3 (1993-1995). Logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, race, center, body mass index, and fasting glucose were used to evaluate the association of each adipocytokine with migraine.

RESULTS: Of the 981 participants, the mean age at baseline was 52.8 years (SE 0.3); 131 fulfilled migraine criteria. Crude, mean total adiponectin levels were greater in men and women with migraine (8.1 µg/mL, SE 0.5) as compared to those without migraine (7.0 µg/mL, SE 0.2) (p = 0.031). After adjustments, the odds of migraine were increased by 88% with each SD increase in total adiponectin in men (odds ratio [OR] 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15, 3.01; p = 0.011), but not in women (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.80, 1.37; p = 0.728; p interaction = 0.029). Similar results were demonstrated for HMW adiponectin. Crude and adjusted leptin levels were not associated with migraine.

CONCLUSIONS: Although crude, total adiponectin levels were higher in older men and women with migraine than controls, after adjustments, the prevalence of migraine was significantly associated with total adiponectin only in older men, suggesting the association may be confounded or absent in older women. Leptin was not associated with migraine in older men or women.