Red cell distribution width in migraine

Summary Introduction Several studies support the role of inflammation in the pathogenesis of migraine. Red cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of heterogeneity in the size of circulating erythrocytes, is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure and stroke. This study was undertaken to assess the interrelationship between RDW and migraine. Method Hundred migraine patients (52 with aura) and age‐ and sex‐matched 100 control subjects were enrolled in the study. Migraine diagnosis was settled according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders‐II diagnostic criteria, and each subject was evaluated in terms of headache characteristics including severity, frequency, duration of the migraine attack, and the duration of the disease. Routine hematological analysis was applied for both of the groups. Results RDW was found to be significantly higher in patients with migraine than controls (P