Abstract
Twelve patients suffering from hemiplegic migraine and 24 with common migraine were compared to matched controls in terms of blood and plasma viscosity, hematocrit, blood cell filterability, red cell aggregation and plasma colloid oncotic pressure. Results show that patients with hemiplegic migraine differ significantly from controls. Blood viscosity at native (but not at standardized) hematocrit, plasma viscosity, blood cell filterability, hematocrit and colloid oncotic pressure are all changed, suggesting a hemorheological deficit possibly due to disturbed blood volume regulation. In contrast, patients with common migraine show elevated high shear blood viscosity at standardized hematocrit, reduced hematocrit, raised red cell aggregation and decreased colloid oncotic pressure. The clinical relevance of these new findings has yet to be evaluated.
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