Familial limb pain in childhood: unusual manifestation of migraine?

Brain Dev. 2006 Nov;28(10):660-2. doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2006.04.009. Epub 2006 Jun 12.

Abstract

A familial case of limb pain is described. Frequent vascular pain appeared during early childhood in affected individuals, often with predominance in the lower extremities. This pain subsided in patients during adolescence, when they began to suffer from typical migraine. The limb pain was moderate to severe, and refractory to analgesic and anti-migraine medications. Limb temperature was cold at the onset of pain, and became warm during the painful attacks. Plasma substance P and calcitonin gene-related peptide were elevated during the episodic pain. We propose this condition is a new precursor etiology of migraine, with possible autosomal dominant inheritance.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide / blood
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Extremities / physiopathology*
  • Family Health*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques / methods
  • Male
  • Migraine Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Pain / blood
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Pain / pathology*
  • Pain / physiopathology*
  • Substance P / blood

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Substance P
  • Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide