Background. There have been few studies on the relation between vitamin D and migraine. We investigated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in migraine patients and compared it with a control group. We also evaluated the relationship of vitamin D deficiency with severity of migraine. Methods. 105 newly diagnosed migraine patients and 110 controls, matched for age, sex, socioeconomic status, education, and sun exposure, were enrolled during the spring of 2011. 25-Hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D] plasma levels were measured by chemiluminescence immunoassay. Results. The mean ± SE concentration of 25(OH)D was 13.55 ± 0.91 ng/mL in cases and 13.19 ± 1.19 ng/mL in controls. There was no significant difference in 25(OH)D concentration between cases and controls. We found no relationship between severity of headache and 25(OH)D status. Conclusions. We did not find any association between migraine and vitamin D status; also, severity of headaches was not related to 25(OH)D level. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm our results.

Background: The effect of opium addiction (OA) on cerebrovascular disease is controversial. The aim of this study was to clarify this relationship in Iranian patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: In a case-control study, 672 patients with ischemic stroke and 293 controls without a previous history of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases were compared. OA as well as other risk factors such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia, tobacco smoking (TS) were compared between the 2 groups. Results: OA percentage, TS, TS amount (pack/year), HTN and DM history were significantly higher in the case group compared to controls (p < 0.05). After regression analysis between risk factors, a significant difference remained between 2 groups with regards to HTN (OR 4.21, 95% CI 3.05–5.81, p < 0.001), TS (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.51–3.59, p < 0.001), and OA (OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.16–4.85, p = 0.018). Conclusion: Our study showed OA is a risk factor for stroke. However, a follow-up study with a larger cohort is required to confirm the results.

Background:Factor V G1691A (FV Leiden), FII GA20210, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T mutations are the most common genetic risk factors for thromboembolism in the Western countries. However, there is rare data in Iran about cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of common genetic thrombophilic factors in CVST patients.Materials and Methods:Forty consequently CVST patients from two University Hospital in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences aged more than 15 years from January 2009 to January 2011 were recruited. In parallel, 51 healthy subjects with the same age and race from similar population selected as controls. FV Leiden, FII GA20210, MTHFR C677T, and FV Cambridge gene mutations by polymerase chain reaction technique were evaluated in case and control groups.Results:FV Leiden, FII GA20210, and FV Cambridge gene mutations had very low prevalence in both case (5%, 2%, 0%) and control (2.5%, 0%, 0%) and were not found any significant difference between groups. MTHFR C677T mutations was in 22 (55%) of patients in case group and 18 (35.5%) of control group (P = 0.09).Conclusion:This study showed that the prevalence of FV Leiden, FII GA20210, and FV Cambridge were low. Laboratory investigations of these mutations as a routine test for all patients with CVST may not be cost benefit.

Background: Cognitive changes are often reported in Parkinson's disease (PD). Numerous studies showed that there are changes in the patterns of inflammation when vascular dementia progressed, but the role of inflammation in PD is unknown. Methods: 75 consecutive diagnosed PD patients included. Patients divided into idiopathic PD (n=55) and PDD (n=20) based on DSM-IV criteria for diagnosis of dementia. Serum levels of vascular and inflammatory biomarkers for interleukin-6 (IL-6), high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble intracellular cell adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) investigated by ELISA assay and compared between PD and PDD.Result: The significant enhancement of the VCAM-1 only found in serum of PDD compared to PD (56/06 ± 58/16 ng/ml vs. 30/43 ± 38/30, P=0/04), even after adjustment age, gender and hypertension (OR=1/01, P=0/05). Cut-off point of VCAM-1 levels was equal to or greater than as 40/14 ng/ml for differentiating dementia in PD from PD without dementia with sensitivity and specificity were 73%, 64%. Conclusion:PDD patients had significant higher levels of VCAM-1 than PD, suggesting the serum levels of VCAM-1 may be a useful marker for PDD diagnosis. Future studies are needed to investigate possible association betweenVCAM-1 levels in PDD in larger sample size.

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