scholarly journals Prednisone for the treatment of withdrawal headache in patients with medication overuse headache: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Cephalalgia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 202-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasja Rabe ◽  
Lutz Pageler ◽  
Charly Gaul ◽  
Christian Lampl ◽  
Torsten Kraya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rescue Medication ◽  
Medication Overuse ◽  
International Headache Society ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Primary Headache ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
Type Headache

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.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Venlafaxine XR in Out-Patients With Tension-Type Headache

Cephalalgia ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
NP Zissis ◽  
S Harmoussi ◽  
N Vlaikidis ◽  
D Mitsikostas ◽  
T Thomaidis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extended Release ◽  
International Headache Society ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Number Needed To Treat ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Headache Clinic ◽  
Type Headache ◽  
Number Needed To Harm

The aim of this study was to evaluate in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study the safety and efficacy of venlafaxine extended release (XR) in the prophylactic treatment of out-patients with tension-type headache (TTH) and no current depression or anxiety disorders. Sixty neurology and headache clinic out-patients meeting the International Headache Society diagnostic criteria for TTH were treated with venlafaxine XR (150 mg/day, n = 34) or placebo ( n = 26) for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy variable was the decline in number of days with headache. At end-point, the venlafaxine XR group had a significantly greater decrease in the number of days with headache compared with placebo ( P = 0.05). Differences with regard to secondary efficacy variables where not significant. The number needed to treat for responders (≥50% reduction in days with headache) was 3.48. Six patients in the venlafaxine XR group interrupted therapy due to adverse events, while no patients in the placebo group did so for the same reason. The number needed to harm was 5.58. This study provides preliminary evidence for the efficacy and safety of venlafaxine XR 150 mg/day in reducing the number of days with TTH.

Medication Overuse Headache and Chronic Migraine in a Specialized Headache Centre: Field-Testing Proposed New Appendix Criteria

Cephalalgia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Zeeberg ◽  
J Olesen ◽  
R Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Migraine ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Medication Overuse ◽  
International Headache Society ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Field Testing ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Headache Centre ◽  
Type Headache

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.

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 ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Chronic Migraine ◽  
Clinical Picture ◽  
Medication Overuse ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Primary Headache ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Headache Type ◽  
Combination Analgesics ◽  
Type Headache

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.

Secondary headache attributed to exposure to or overuse of a substance

Cephalalgia ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 033310242094223
Author(s):  
Kati Toom ◽  
Mark Braschinsky ◽  
Mark Obermann ◽  
Zara Katsarava
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Medication Overuse ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Primary Headache ◽  
Headache Disorder ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Secondary Headache ◽  
Primary Headache Disorder ◽  
Type Headache ◽  
Acute Headache

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.

Epidemiology of medication overuse headache in the general Swedish population

Cephalalgia ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 1015-1022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernilla Jonsson ◽  
Tove Hedenrud ◽  
Mattias Linde
Keyword(s):  
Medication Overuse ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
International Headache Society ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Primary Headache ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
Swedish Population

Aims: The aim was to estimate the prevalence of medication overuse headache (MOH) in Sweden and to analyze the occurrence of this disorder in different population groups. Methods: A total of 44,300 randomly selected individuals (55% women), aged 15 years and above, were interviewed in a national telephone survey, using a standardized questionnaire including the International Headache Society criteria for MOH and questions about sociodemographic factors, headache history and medication use. Results: In Sweden, 3.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.1–3.4), n = 1428) suffer from chronic daily headache (CDH) and out of those, 56% ( n = 799) have MOH. The prevalence of MOH is 1.8% (95% CI 1.7–1.9). The mean age of onset was higher among men than women as well as among those with tension-type headache as primary headache compared to those who originally had migraine. A multivariate analysis showed that socioeconomic factors such as having a low level of education and/or a low household income were associated with MOH. Conclusions: This is the first Swedish population-based study of MOH and we conclude that MOH is a significant public health problem in Sweden, as it is in other parts of the world.

Medication Overuse Headache: Rates and Predictors for Relapse in a 4-year Prospective Study

Cephalalgia ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z Katsarava ◽  
M Muessig ◽  
A Dzagnidze ◽  
G Fritsche ◽  
HC Diener ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prospective Study ◽  
Medication Overuse ◽  
Medication Overuse Headache ◽  
Primary Headache ◽  
Tension Type Headache ◽  
First Year ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
Type Headache

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.

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