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Low serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity levels in patients with migraine

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Abstract

Histamine intolerance is a disorder in the homeostasis of histamine due to a reduced intestinal degradation of this amine, mainly caused by a deficiency in the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). Among the several multi-faced symptoms associated with histamine intolerance, headache is one of the most recognized and disabling consequences. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of DAO deficiency in patients with a confirmed migraine diagnosis according to the current International Headache Society (IHS) and in non-migraine subjects. DAO activity was assessed in a total of 198 volunteers recruited at the Headache Unit of the Hospital General de Catalunya, 137 in the migraine group and 61 as a control group. DAO enzyme activity in blood samples was determined by ELISA test. Values below 80 HDU/ml (Histamine Degrading Unit/ml) were considered as DAO deficient. Mean value of DAO activity from migraine population (64.5 ± 33.5 HDU/ml) was significantly lower (p < 0.0001) than that obtained from healthy volunteers (91.9 ± 44.3 HDU/ml). DAO deficiency was more prevalent in migraine patients than in the control group. A high incidence rate of DAO deficiency (87%) was observed in the group of patients with migraine. On the other hand, 44% of non-migranous subjects had levels of DAO activity lower than 80 HDU/ml. Despite the multifactorial aetiology of migraine, these results seem to indicate that this enzymatic deficit could be related to the onset of migraine.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank DR Healthcare SL for its funding support. Oriol Comas-Basté is a recipient of a doctoral fellowship from the University of Barcelona (APIF2015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Hospital General de Catalunya, C/ Pere i Pons 1, 08915, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain

    Joan Izquierdo-Casas & Luis Soler-Singla

  2. Department of Basic Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, C/ Pere i Pons 1, 08915, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain

    Joan Izquierdo-Casas, Marian Lorente-Gascón & Luis Soler-Singla

  3. Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, XaRTA, INSA, School of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Prat de la Riba 171, 08921, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain

    Oriol Comas-Basté, M. Luz Latorre-Moratalla & M. Carmen Vidal-Carou

  4. Department of Nutrition, Instituto Clínico del Déficit de DAO (ICDDAO), C/ Pere i Pons 1, 08195, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain

    Adriana Duelo

Authors
  1. Joan Izquierdo-Casas
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  2. Oriol Comas-Basté
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  3. M. Luz Latorre-Moratalla
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  6. M. Carmen Vidal-Carou
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Correspondence to M. Carmen Vidal-Carou.

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This article forms part of a special issue of the Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry entitled “Impact of lifestyles patterns on human health:Integrated approach from the child to the elderly”

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Izquierdo-Casas, J., Comas-Basté, O., Latorre-Moratalla, M.L. et al. Low serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity levels in patients with migraine. J Physiol Biochem 74, 93–99 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13105-017-0571-3

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