Lea R, Colson N, Quinlan S, Macmillan J, Griffiths L. The effects of vitamin supplementation and MTHFR (C677T) genotype on homocysteine-lowering and migraine disability. Pharmacogenet Genomics 2009 Jun;19(6):422-428.
PMID: 19384265
doi: 10.1097/FPC.0b013e32832af5a3
Keywords
homocysteine, migraine, MTHFR genotype, vitamin supplementation
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Pharmacogenet Genomics. 2009 Jun;19(6):422-8.
The effects of vitamin supplementation and MTHFR (C677T) genotype on homocysteine-lowering and migraine disability.
Lea R, Colson N, Quinlan S, Macmillan J, Griffiths L.
Genomics Research Centre, School of Health Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia.
BACKGROUND: Migraine is a prevalent and debilitating disease that may, in part, arise because of disruption in neurovascular endothelia caused by elevated homocysteine. This study examined the homocysteine-lowering effects of vitamin supplementation on migraine disability, frequency and severity and whether MTHFRC677T genotype influenced treatment response. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind placebo, controlled trial of 6 months of daily vitamin supplementation (i.e. 2 mg of folic acid, 25 mg vitamin B6, and 400 microg of vitamin B12) in 52 patients diagnosed with migraine with aura. FINDINGS: Vitamin supplementation reduced homocysteine by 39% (approximately 4 mumol/l) compared with baseline, a reduction that was greater then placebo (P=0.001). Vitamin supplementation also reduced the prevalence of migraine disability from 60% at baseline to 30% after 6 months (P=0.01), whereas no reduction was observed for the placebo group (P>0.1). Headache frequency and pain severity were also reduced (P0.1). In this patient group the treatment effect on both homocysteine levels and migraine disability was associated with MTHFRC677T genotype whereby carriers of the C allele experienced a greater response compared with TT genotypes (P
PMID: 19384265