P166 – 2607: Relationship between oxidative stress and chronic daily headache in children

Objective Although there are reports that oxidative injury may play a role in the pathophysiology of some neurologic disorders, such as migraine and epilepsy, by disrupting and destructing cell membranes through formation of free radical and reactive oxygen species, the pathophysiology of headache is not clearly established. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and chronic daily headache in children. Methods Thirty-eight children with chronic daily headache (16 boys and 22 girls), aged from 7 to 15 years, were enrolled in the study. The control group consisted of 39 healthy children (17 boys and 22 girls), aged from 7 to 14 years old. The mean age was 10.9±2.2 years in both groups. Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase activities, and malondialdehyde levels, of all children in both groups were measured. Results Mean erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase activities, and malondialdehyde levels, were significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (p Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that oxidative stress may play a causal or consequential role in children with chronic daily headache.