Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The association between serum vitamin B12 deficiency and tension-type headache in Turkish children

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Neurological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the relationship between serum vitamin B12 level and tension-type headache. The study groups consisted of 75 patients (40 females, 35 males) with headache and a control group of 49 healthy children (25 females, 24 males). Serum vitamin B12 level < 200 pg/ml was defined as deficient, and < 160 pg/ml as severely deficient. The serum vitamin B12 level was measured by the electrochemiluminescence (ECLIA) method. The serum vitamin B12 levels in the headache and control groups were 273.01 ± 76.77 and 316.22 ± 74.53 pg/ml, with the difference determined as statistically significant (p = 0.003). In the case group, 18/75 patients (24%) had a serum vitamin B12 level below the normal of 200 pg/ml, and in the control group 4/49 (8%) patients were also below the normal range (p = 0.021). The serum vitamin B12 level in the children with tension-type headache was significantly lower than that in the control group. From the results of the study, it was concluded that there may be an association between vitamin B12 level and tension-type headache. However, further clinical studies are needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rasmussen BK, Jensen R, Schroll M, Olesen J (1991) Epidemiology of headache in a general population—a prevalence study. J Clin Epidemiol 44:1147–1157

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Stovner Lj HK, Jensen R, Katsarava Z, Lipton R, Scher A et al (2007) The global burden of headache: a documentation of headache prevalence and disability worldwide. Cephalalgia 27:193–210

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Lewis DW (2002) Headaches in children and adolescents. Am Fam Physician 65:625–632

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Jensen R, Stovner LJ (2008) Epidemiology and comorbidity of headache. Lancet Neurol 7:354–361

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Arruda MA, Guidetti V, Galli F, Albuquerque RC, Bigal ME (2010) Primary headaches in childhood—a population-based study. Cephalalgia 30:1056–1064

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Sillanpää M (2002) Determinants of tension-type headache in children. Cephalalgia 22:401–408

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Poyrazoğlu HG, Kumandas S, Canpolat M, Gümüs H, Elmali F, Kara A, Per H (2015) The prevalence of migraine and tension-type headache among schoolchildren in Kayseri, Turkey: an evaluation of sensitivity and specificity using multivariate analysis. J Child Neurol 30:889–895

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Yılmaz Ü, Çeleğen M, Yılmaz TS, Gürçınar M, Ünalp A (2014) Childhood headaches and brain magnetic resonance imaging findings. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 18:163–170

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ozge A, Sasmaz T, Cakmak SE, Kaleagasi H, Siva A (2010) Epidemiological-based childhood headache natural history study: after an interval of six years. Cephalalgia 30:703–712

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Fumal A, Schoenen J (2008) Tension-type headache: current research and clinical management. Lancet Neurol 7:70–83

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Anttila P, Sourander A, Metsähonkala L, Aromaa M, Helenius H, Sillanpää M (2004) Psychiatric symptoms in children with primary headache. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 43:412–419

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Balottin U, Fusar Poli P, Termine C, Molteni S, Galli F (2013) Psychopathological symptoms in child and adolescent migraine and tension-type headache: a meta-analysis. Cephalalgia 33:112–122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Bektaş Ö, Uğur C, Gençtürk ZB, Aysev A, Sireli Ö, Deda G (2015) Relationship of childhood headaches with preferences in leisure time activities, depression, anxiety and eating habits: a population-based, cross-sectional study. Cephalalgia 35:527–537

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Amouroux R, Rousseau-Salvador C, Pillant M, Antonietti JP, Tourniaire B, Annequin D (2017) Longitudinal study shows that depression in childhood is associated with a worse evolution of headaches in adolescence. Acta Paediatr 106:1961–1965

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Martin VT, Vij B (2016) Diet and headache: part 2. Headache 56:1553–1562

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lippi G, Mattiuzzi C, Meschi T, Cervellin G, Borghi L (2014) Homocysteine and migraine. A narrative review. Clin Chim Acta 433:5–11

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Di Lorenzo C, Coppola G, Sirianni G, Di Lorenzo G, Bracaglia M, Di Lenola D et al (2015) Migraine improvement during short lasting ketogenesis: a proof-of-concept study. Eur J Neurol 22:170–177

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Menon S, Lea RA, Ingle S, Sutherland M, Wee S, Haupt LM, Palmer M, Griffiths LR (2015) Effects of dietary folate intake on migraine disability and frequency. Headache 55:301–319

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Menon S, Nasir B, Avgan N, Ghassabian S, Oliver C, Lea R, Smith M, Griffiths L (2016) The effect of 1 mg folic acid supplementation on clinical outcomes in female migraine with aura patients. J Headache Pain 17:60

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Rasmussen SA, Fernhoff PM, Scanlon KS (2001) Vitamin B12 deficiency in children and adolescents. J Pediatr 138:10–17

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Bjørke-Monsen AL, Ueland PM (2011) Cobalamin status in children. J Inherit Metab Dis 34:111–119

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. McLean ED, Allen LH, Neumann CG, Peerson JM, Siekmann JH, Murphy SP et al (2007) Low plasma vitamin B-12 in Kenyan school children is highly prevalent and improved by supplemental animal source foods. J Nutr Mar 137:676–682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Ramírez-Vélez R, Correa-Bautista JE, Martínez-Torres J, Meneses-Echávez JF, Lobelo F (2016) Vitamin B12 concentration and its association with sociodemographic factors in Colombian children: findings from the 2010 National Nutrition Survey. Nutrition 32:255–259

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Demir N, Koc A, Üstyol L, Peker E, Abuhandan M (2013) Clinical and neurological findings of severe vitamin B12 deficiency in infancy and importance of early diagnosis and treatment. J Paediatr Child Health 49:820–824

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Stabler SP, Allen RH (2004) Vitamin B12 deficiency as a worldwide problem. Annu Rev Nutr 24:299–326

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Malbora B, Yuksel D, Aksoy A, Ozkan M (2014) Two infants with infantile spasms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. Pediatr Neurol 51:144–146

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Glaser K, Girschick HJ, Schropp C, Speer CP (2015) Psychomotor development following early treatment of severe infantile vitamin B12 deficiency and West syndrome—is everything fine? A case report and review of literature. Brain Dev 37:347–351

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Demir N, Koç A, Abuhandan M, Calik M, Işcan A (2015) Visual and brainstem auditory evoked potentials in infants with severe vitamin B12 deficiency. Turk J Med Sci 45:1274–1279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. De Benoist B (2008) Conclusions of a WHO Technical Consultation on folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies. Food Nutr Bull 29(2 Suppl):238–244

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Koc A, Kocyigit A, Soran M, Demir N, Sevinc E, Erel O, Mil Z (2006) High frequency of maternal vitamin B12 deficiency as an important cause of infantile vitamin B12 deficiency in Sanliurfa province of Turkey. Eur J Nutr 45:291–297

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Goraya JS, Kaur S, Mehra B (2015) Neurology of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in infants: case series from India and literature review. J Child Neurol 30:1831–1837

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Yilmaz S, Serdaroglu G, Tekgul H, Gokben S (2016) Different neurologic aspects of nutritional B12 deficiency in infancy. J Child Neurol 31:565–568

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Erol I, Alehan F, Gümüs A (2007) West syndrome in an infant with vitamin B12 deficiency in the absence of macrocytic anaemia. Dev Med Child Neurol 49:774–776

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Incecik F, Hergüner MO, Altunbaşak S, Leblebisatan G (2010) Neurologic findings of nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency in children. Turk J Pediatr 52:17–21

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Lewis DW (2012) Headaches in infants and children. In: Swaiman KF, Ashwal S, Ferriero DM, Schor NF (eds) Swaiman’s. Pediatric neurology, 5th edn. Elsevier, New York, pp 1128–1147

    Google Scholar 

  36. Cathcart S, Winefield AH, Lushington K, Rolan P (2010) Stress and tension-type headache mechanisms. Cephalalgia 30:1250–1267

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Fielding J, Young S, Martin PR, Waters AM (2016) Headache symptoms consistent with migraine and tension-type headaches in children with anxiety disorders. J Anxiety Disord 40:67–74

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Sarioglu B, Erhan E, Serdaroglu G, Doering BG, Erermis S, Tutuncuoglu S (2003) Tension-type headache in children: a clinical evaluation. Pediatr Int 45:186–189

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Pepper MR, Black MM (2011) B12 in fetal development. Semin Cell Dev Biol 22:619–623

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Dror DK, Allen LH (2008) Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms. Nutr Rev 66:250–255

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Tiemeier H, van Tuijl HR, Hofman A, Meijer J, Kiliaan AJ, Breteler MM (2002) Vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine in depression: the Rotterdam Study. Am J Psychiatry 159:2099–2101

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Esnafoğlu E, Yaman E (2017) Vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine and vitamin D levels in children and adolescents with obsessive compulsive disorder. Psychiatry Res 254:232–237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Black MM (2008) Effects of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency on brain development in children. Food Nutr Bull 29(2 Suppl):S126–S131

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Folstein M, Liu T, Peter I, Buell J, Arsenault L, Scott T et al (2007) The homocysteine hypothesis of depression. Am J Psychiatry 164:861–867

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Neurology, Harran University School of Medicine, 63200, Sanliurfa, Turkey

    Mustafa Calik

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey

    Mehmet Salih Aktas & Abdullah Solmaz

  3. Department of Pediatric Oncology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey

    Emre Cecen

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Bulent Ecevit University School of Medicine, Zonguldak, Turkey

    Ibrahim Etem Piskin & Zuhal Ornek

  5. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey

    Hamza Ayaydın

  6. Department of Pediatric Metabolism and Nutrition, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey

    Meryem Karaca

  7. Department of Neurology, Harran University School of Medicine, Sanliurfa, Turkey

    Halil Ay

Authors
  1. Mustafa Calik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mehmet Salih Aktas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Emre Cecen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ibrahim Etem Piskin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Hamza Ayaydın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Zuhal Ornek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Meryem Karaca
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Abdullah Solmaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Halil Ay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Calik M proposed the study and wrote the first draft. Cecen E helped the writing. All the authors contributed to the design and interpretation of the study. Calik M is the guarantor.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mustafa Calik.

Ethics declarations

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declared that they have no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

Informed consent was obtained from the parents of all the patients.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Calik, M., Aktas, M.S., Cecen, E. et al. The association between serum vitamin B12 deficiency and tension-type headache in Turkish children. Neurol Sci 39, 1009–1014 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3286-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-018-3286-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation