Gülhan Sarıçam, Fahrettin Ege, Memet Aslanyavrusu
Archives of Basic and Clinical Research - 2025;7(3):186-192
Objective: The C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) is a reliable biomarker in the assessment and monitoring of inflammation. In this study, we aimed to investigate CAR rates in migraine alone and migraine with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and their relationship with migraine frequency, severity, and disease duration. Methods: A total of 210 patients included in the study were grouped as those with only migraine and those with migraine accompanied by RLS. Variables between the groups were interpreted using a t-test and a Mann-Whitney U analysis. The relationship between CAR and variables was analyzed in migraine patients with RLS using Spearman's rho correlation coefficient. Results: In patients with migraines with RLS, disease duration (t=-2.496, P = 0.013) was prolonged, and attack frequency (t=-3.971, P < 0.001) significantly increased compared to patients with migraines without RLS. In migraine patients with RLS, the values of CAR (z=-3.396, P = 0.001) and CRP (z=-3.704, P < 0.001) were higher. High CAR values were found to be a risk factor for prolonged disease duration (r = 0.281, P = 0.030) and increased attack frequency (r = 0.260, P = 0.044) in migraine patients with RLS. Conclusion: CAR levels were significantly higher in migraine patients with comorbid RLS compared to those with migraine alone, showing a positive correlation with disease duration and attack frequency. These findings suggest that CAR could serve as a valuable biomarker for identifying chronicity and RLS comorbidity in migraine patients.
