High serum level of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) as risk factor for chronic tension type headache on medical students of Udayana University

Background: Chronic tension type headache is an episodic attack of headache that lasts several minutes to several days. Calcitonin gene-releated peptide is an amino acid peptide that is released during headaches to the blood circulation. Numerous studies suggest CGRP plays a role in the pathogenesis of TTH. This study aims to determine whether high serum CGRP levels are a risk factor for CTTH in students of the Medical Education Study Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Udayana University. Methods: This is a case control study with subjects Udayana FK students aged 19-21 years. The study was conducted at the Udayana University Campus from December 2018 to March 2019. Subjects were divided into CTTH (Case) groups and groups without CTTH (Control). Serum CGRP levels were examined in each group. Data analysis using descriptive method, bivariate with Chi Square test to calculate the odds ratio (OR). Results: The study used 60 subjects (30 subjects with CTTH and 30 subjects without CTTH). Subjects with a mean age of 19.77 ± 0.73 years. The normal limit for the serum CGRP level used in this study was 137.56 pmol / l. High serum CGRP increased CTTH 45 times higher than controls (95% CI 9.73-208.08; p <0.001). Conclusion: High serum CGRP levels significantly increase the CTTH incidence on Medical Students of Udayana University