HEADACHE AND NAILFOLD MICROCIRCULATION

Microcirculatory changes of nailfold were observed in 43 patients with headache（26 males and 17 females） aged 19 to 58. One hundred healthy subjects served as normal controls. Eleven parmeters of nailfold microcirculation were analyzed. With the exception of the number and efferent limb of capillary loop, there were significant differences between the observed parameters in patients with headache and controls. As compared with the controls, the patients with headache showed significantly darker coloration of the blood flow, lesser fluent blood flow, more blurring and more irregular arrangement of capillary loop, more 8-shaped, pinched and tortuous loops, higher percentage of abnormal capillary loop, narrower loop, wider caliber of afferent limb and slower capillary blood flow. Based on the findings obtained, changes of the nailfold microcircu lation may be used as sensitive parametrs in the cases of headache.