Clinical Features of Probable Medication-Overuse Headache: A Retrospective Study in Japan

Cephalalgia ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 1020-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Imai ◽  
E Kitamura ◽  
T Konishi ◽  
Y Suzuki ◽  
M Serizawa ◽  
...  

This study examined the clinical picture of probable medication-overuse headache (MOH) and the presence of any features peculiar to Japan. In a retrospective study of 47 patients, type of primary headache, type of medicine overused, method and result of withdrawal were investigated. Among the 47 patients, 80.9% had migraine only, and 85.1% overused combination medications. While 36 patients (76.6%) succeeded in withdrawal, five patients (10.6%) failed. One patient (2.1%) had not improved by 2 months after withdrawal and was diagnosed with chronic migraine and chronic tension-type headache without MOH. The remaining five patients (10.6%) dropped out. All dropout patients were recommended abrupt inpatient withdrawal, but chose abrupt outpatient withdrawal. As features peculiar to Japan, many patients with probable MOH overused combination analgesics, particularly females.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Rebecchi ◽  
Daniela Gallo ◽  
Lucia Princiotta Cariddi ◽  
Eliana Piantanida ◽  
Payam Tabaee Damavandi ◽  
...  

Several studies focused on the role of vitamin D (vitD) in pain chronification. This study focused on vitD level and pain chronification and extension in headache disorders. Eighty patients with primary headache underwent neurological examination, laboratory exams, including serum calcifediol 25(OH)D, and headache features assessment along with three questionnaires investigating depression, anxiety, and allodynia. The 86.8% of the population had migraine (48% episodic and 52% chronic). The 44.1% of patients had extracranial pain, and 47.6% suffered from allodynia. A vitD deficit, namely a serum 25(OH)D level <20 ng/ml, was detectable in 46.1% of the patients, and it occurred more frequently (p = 0.009) in patients suffering from chronic migraine (CM)–medication overuse migraine (MOH) (62.9%) than in episodic migraine (EM, 25.7%) or tension-type headache (TTH, 11.4%). The occurrence of extracranial pain and allodynia was higher in the CM-MOH than in the EM and in the TTH groups but was not related to the co-occurrence of vitD deficiency (Fisher's exact test p = 0.11 and p = 0.32, respectively). Our findings show that 25(OH)D deficit is also related to chronic headache, probably because of vitD anti-inflammatory and tolerogenic properties, reinforcing the idea of a neuroinflammatory mechanism underpinning migraine chronification.


Cephalalgia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Zeeberg ◽  
J Olesen ◽  
R Jensen

The classification subcommittee of the International Headache Society (IHS) has recently suggested revised criteria for medication overuse headache (MOH) and chronic migraine (CM). We field tested these revised criteria by applying them to the headache population at the Danish Headache Centre and compared the results with those using the current criteria. For CM we also tested two alternative criteria, one requiring ≥ 4 migraine days/month and ≥ 15 headache days/month, the second requiring ≥ 15 headache days/month and ≥ 50% migraine days. We included 969 patients with migraine or tension-type headache (TTH) among 1326 patients treated and dismissed in a 2-year period. Two hundred and eighty-five patients (30%) had TTH, 265 (27%) had migraine and 419 (43%) had mixed migraine and TTH. The current criteria for MOH classified 86 patients (9%) as MOH, 98 (10%) as probable MOH and 785 (81%) as not having MOH after a 2-month drug-free period. Using the appendix criteria, 284 patients (29%) were now classified as MOH, no patients as probable MOH and 685 (71%) as not having MOH. For CM only 16 patients (3%) fulfilled the current diagnostic criteria. This increased to 42 patients (7%) when we applied the appendix criteria. Using the less restrictive criteria of ≥ 4 migraine days and ≥ 15 headache days, 88 patients (14%) had CM, whereas the more restrictive criteria of ≥ 15 headache days and ≥ 50% migraine days resulted in 24 patients (4%) with CM. Our data suggest that the IHS has succeeded in choosing new criteria for CM which are neither too strict, nor too loose. For MOH, a shift to the appendix criteria will increase the number of MOH patients, but take into account the possibility of permanent changes in pain perception due to medication overuse and the possibility of a renewed effect of prophylactic drugs due to medication withdrawal. We therefore recommend the implementation of the appendix criteria for both MOH and CM into the main body of the International Classification of Headache Disorders.


Cephalalgia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasja Rabe ◽  
Lutz Pageler ◽  
Charly Gaul ◽  
Christian Lampl ◽  
Torsten Kraya ◽  
...  

Purpose To investigate the efficacy of prednisone for treatment of withdrawal headache in patients with medication overuse headache (MOH). Patients and methods In this prospective double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel designed multicentre trial, 96 consecutive patients with MOH were randomized to withdrawal treatment with either 100 mg prednisone or placebo over 5 days. Patients were enrolled if they met the International Headache Society criteria for MOH and were diagnosed with migraine or episodic tension-type headache as primary headache. Exclusion criteria comprised significant neurological or psychiatric disorders. Withdrawal symptoms, including headache severity and intake of rescue medication, were documented for 14 days after randomization. Results Patients treated with prednisone did not experience fewer hours of moderate or severe headache than patients receiving placebo. However, patients requested less rescue medication within the first 5 days. Conclusions During withdrawal in MOH, prednisone reduces rescue medication without decreasing the severity and duration of withdrawal headache.


Cephalalgia ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 033310242094223
Author(s):  
Kati Toom ◽  
Mark Braschinsky ◽  
Mark Obermann ◽  
Zara Katsarava

Background Secondary headaches attributed to exposure to or the overuse of a substance are classified under chapter eight in the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3rd edition. Three distinct sub-chapters consider: 1. Headache attributed to exposure to a substance, 2. Medication overuse headache, and 3. Headache attributed to substance withdrawal. Headache attributed to exposure to a substance refers to a headache with onset immediately or within hours after the exposure, while medication overuse headache is a headache occurring on 15 or more days per month that has developed as a consequence of regular usage of acute headache medication(s) for more than three consecutive months in a patient with a pre-existing primary headache disorder. The withdrawal of caffeine, oestrogen, and opioids is most often associated with the development of headache. Discussion Despite the current headache classification, there is no certainty of a causal relationship between the use of any substance and the development of headache. Some substances are likely to provoke headache in patients that suffer from a primary headache disorder like migraine, tension-type headache or cluster headache, while others were described to cause headache even in people that generally do not get headaches. Toxic agents, such as carbon monoxide (CO) are difficult to investigate systematically, while other substances such as nitric oxide (NO) were specifically used to induce headache experimentally. If a patient with an underlying primary headache disorder develops a headache, in temporal relation to exposure to a substance, which is significantly worse than the usual headache it is considered secondary. This is even more the case if the headache phenotype is different from the usually experienced headache characteristics. Medication overuse headache is a well-described, distinct disease entity with only marginally understood pathophysiology and associated psychological factors. Managing medication overuse headache patients includes education, detoxification, prophylactic treatments and treating comorbidities, which is reflected in available guidelines. Viewing medication overuse headache as a separate entity helps clinicians and researchers better recognise, treat and study the disorder. Conclusion Identification of substances that may cause or trigger secondary headache is important in order to educate patients and health care professionals about potential effects of these substances and prevent unnecessary suffering, as well as deterioration in quality of life. Treatment in case of medication overuse and other chronic headache should be decisive and effective.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Rebecchi ◽  
Daniela Gallo ◽  
Lucia Princiotta Cariddi ◽  
Eliana Piantanida ◽  
Payam Tabaee Damavandi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Several studies focused on the possible role of vitamin D (vitD) in pain chronicization.. The aim of this study was to assess the potential implications of VitD deficit on headache characteristics and extracranial pain extension.Methods: Eighty consecutive patients with primary headache underwent neurological examination, laboratory exams including serum calcifediol 25(OH)D and headache features assessment along with three questionnaires investigating depression, anxiety and allodynia. Results: The 82.6% of the population had migraine (48% episodic and 52% chronic form). The 45% of patients had extracranial pain and 47% suffered from allodynia. In the 45% of patients had a VitD deficit since the serum 25(OH)D levels fell below the cut-off level of 20 ng/ml. The occurrence of VitD deficit was significantly higher (p=0.009) in patients suffering from chronic migraine (CM)- medication overuse migraine (MOH) (64.7%) than in episodic migraine (EM) or tension type headache (TTH). The occurrence of subjects with extracranial pain and allodynia was higher, as expected, in the CM-MOH than in the EM and in the TTH groups but was not related to the co-occurrence of vit-D deficiency (Fischer’s exact test p=0.11 and p=0.32 respectively).Conclusions: Our findings show that 25(OH)D deficit is related to chronic pain suggesting that vitD probably has anti-inflammatory and tolerogenic properties, rather than a direct antinociceptive effect, and reinforce the idea of a neuroinflammatory mechanisms underpinning migraine chronicization.


Cephalalgia ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Katsarava ◽  
M Muessig ◽  
A Dzagnidze ◽  
G Fritsche ◽  
HC Diener ◽  
...  

We present a prospective 4-year follow-up study of 96 patients with medication overuse headache following withdrawal. Complete datasets were available from 85 patients (89%) 6 months, from 79 patients (82%) 1 year and from 75 patients (78%) 4 years after withdrawal. Twenty-six patients (31%) relapsed within the first 6 months after withdrawal. The number of relapses increased to 32 (41%) 1 year and to 34 (45%) 4 years after withdrawal. The 4-year relapse rate was lower in migraine than in tension-type headache (32% vs. 91%, P ≤ 0.001) and combination of migraine and tension-type headache (32% vs. 70%, P ≤ 0.027) and also lower in patients overusing triptans than analgesics (21% vs. 71%, P ≤ 0.001). The study suggests that the majority of relapses occur within the first year after withdrawal and that the long-term success of withdrawal depends on the type of primary headache and the type of overused medication.


2010 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 873-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asdrubal Falavigna ◽  
Alisson Roberto Teles ◽  
Maíra Cristina Velho ◽  
Viviane Maria Vedana ◽  
Roberta Castilhos da Silva ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence, characteristics and impact of headache among university students. METHOD: The criteria established by the International Headache Society were used to define the primary headache subtypes and the Migraine Disability Assessment Questionnaire (MIDAS), to assess the disability. The students were then grouped into six categories: [1] migraine; [2] probable migraine; [3] tension-type headache; [4] probable tension-type headache; [5] non-classifiable headache; [6] no headache. RESULTS: Of all undergraduate students interviewed, 74.5% had at least one headache episode in the last three months. Regarding disability, there was a significant difference between the headache types (p<0.0001). In the post-hoc analysis, migraine was the headache type with most reported disability. CONCLUSION: Headache is a highly prevalent condition among the students at the University of Caxias do Sul. This disease may have a major impact on the students' lives and in some cases, ultimately lead to educational failure.


2019 ◽  
pp. 66-69
Author(s):  
Vanessa Nagel ◽  
Sol Cavanagh ◽  
Marina Olivier ◽  
Natalia Larripa ◽  
Maria T Gutierrez ◽  
...  

Objective: Headache is one of the most frequent reason for consultations in neurology. The global prevalence among adults with migraine is approximately 10% with migraine, 40% for tension-type headache (TTH) and 3% for chronic daily headache. The purpose of this study is to analyze the prevalence of the diagnoses of headache and craniofacial pain among patients evaluated in a specialized headache clinic of Buenos Aires during 2017. Methods: Retrospective, descriptive study. We reviewed the electronic medical records of patients who consulted for headaches or craniofacial pain from January 1st to December 31st, 2017. Diagnoses were made according to the criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). Results: We reviewed 3254 electronic medical records and documented 3941 diagnoses: headache (93.03%), craniofacial pain (3.62%) and unclassifiable (3.35%). The average age was 43.14 years. 80.7% were women. Primary headaches were the most frequent diagnoses (78.54%). Migraine represented the main diagnosis (87.42%). Episodic migraine without aura was the most prevalent diagnosis (48%). Tension- type headache (TTH) was found in 8.74% of cases of primary headaches and Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs) in 2.89%. Medication-overuse headache (MOH) represented 77.93% of the secondary headaches, and most of them also met chronic migraine criteria fulfilled criteria of chronic migraine. Primary trigeminal neuralgia represented 50% of craniofacial pain and 27% were secondary trigeminal neuralgia, mostly postherpetic or posterior to dental procedures. Regardin to the frecuency, 33.58% of the patients had chronic headache. Conclusion: In our section, migraine is the most frequent diagnosis followed by medication-overuse headache. The percentage of chronic headache is higher than the prevalence in the general population, probably because it is a tertiary center.


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