Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as a predictor to differentiate between childhood migraine and tension-type headache

Abstract Background: Migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) are common neurological disorders in children, and it is often difficult to differentiate between them. As migraine is associated with inflammation, hematological parameters, which can be used to indicate systemic inflammation, may be useful in its diagnosis. This study investigated whether hematological parameters could be used to predict childhood migraines and distinguish them from TTH. Materials and Methods: A total of 186 children (59 diagnosed with migraine, 65 diagnosed with TTH, and 62 healthy children) were included in the study. Hematological parameters, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) of the participants were measured and compared. Results: Children with migraine had a significantly higher (p = 0.002) PLR than those with TTH. A comparison of NLR of three groups did not significantly differ (p = 0.18). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that childhood migraine is characterized by an elevated PLR, marking this parameter as a potential predictor of the disorder. Moreover, this work suggests that PLR could function as a simple, inexpensive biomarker for distinguishing between childhood migraine and TTH.