Objective:
We aimed to determine the frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency in children with tension-type headache and to investigate the relationship between tension-type headache and vitamin B12 deficiency.
Methods:
The children diagnosed with tension-type headache between June 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 in the pediatric neurology clinic were included in the study. Children with chronic disease, receiving dietary supplementation or any medication were excluded from the study. Demographic characteristics, complete blood count, the levels of serum vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine and urine methylmalonic acid were recorded. The control group consisted of children without an acute or chronic disease and who did not use dietary supplements or medications.
Results:
A total of 155 children were participated in the study including 76 children (57 girls, 19 boys) with tension-type headache and 79 children (51 girls, 28 boys) in the control group. The mean serum vitamin B12 level was 210.6±104 pg/mL (43-534 pg/mL) in patients with tension-type headache and 260.6±109 pg/mL in the control group (104-712 pg/mL). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of the level of vitamin B12 (p=0.005). Forty-six patients (61%) with tension-type headache and 30 children (38%) in the control group had vitamin B12 deficiency. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of vitamin B12 deficiency (p=0.032).
Conclusion:
We found vitamin B12 deficiency in more than half of the children with tension-type headache. We conclude that it is important to evaluate children with tension-type headache in terms of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Keywords: Headache, children, vitamin B12