Migraine

Migraine is the most common disabling brain disorder. Chronic migraine, a condition characterized by the experience of migrainous headache on at least 15 days per month, is highly disabling. Patients with chronic migraine present to primary care, are often referred for management to secondary care, and make up a large proportion of patients in specialist headache clinics. Many patients with chronic migraine also have medication overuse, defined as using a compound analgesic, opioid, triptan or ergot derivative on at least 10 days per month. All doctors will encounter patients with chronic headaches. A basic working knowledge of the common primary headaches, and a rational manner of approaching the patient with these conditions, allows a specific diagnosis of chronic migraine to be made quickly and safely, and by making this diagnosis one opens up a substantial number of acute and preventive treatment options. This article discusses the current state of management of chronic migraine.

Intensity modulated conformal radiotherapy of a jugulo-tympanic paraganglioma

Jugulo-tympanic paragangliomas are rare benign tumors arising from the neuroectodermal cells of the tympanic cavity and the dome of the jugular vein. Surgical resection has long been the first-line treatment. However, when this is not possible, radiotherapy remains a therapeutic alternative allowing local control with less morbidity. We report the case of a patient with an unresectable tympano-jugular paraganglioma, the symptomalagy was dominted by chronic headaches and right sided hypoacousie, and the treatment consisted of external radiation therapy with a total dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions, one fraction per day, 2 Gy per fraction using the IMRT technique. The evolution was good with disappearance of clinical symptomatology, significant local control with less toxicity.

Formulation Development and Evaluation of Migraine Almotriptan Loaded Ethosomes Using Box Behnken Design

One of the most common nervous system illnesses is headache disorders, which are characterized by chronic headaches. In Present investigation Almotriptan loaded Ethosomes were prepared by water phase addition method. The three independent factors including Phosphotidylcholine: Cholestrol: DSPE (6:3:1molar ratio), Surfactant concentration and sonication time. A factorial design 3*3(3 factor 3 level) was applied to prepare 17 formulation. Optimization of ethosomal preparation was carried out by applying Box Behnken response surface randomized factorial design following quadratic model using Design of Experiment (DOE) software version 11.04.0. The factor Soya PC: Cholesterol: DSPE in molar ration (6:3:1), Concentration of Tween-80 and sonication time were selected as dependable process and formulation factors that can be effect formulation characteristics like entrapment efficiency, average vesicle size, Polydispersity Index (PDI). All other factors like sonication speed and rotation speed was kept constant All the formulation were prepared by simple solvent evaporation thin film formation method and characterized for the drug entrapment, average vesicle size and PDI, shape morphology. Formulations were optimized on the basis of responses such as average vesicle size, PDI, and entrapment efficiency. All the characterized values of the responses were putted in the formulation design table and analyse to best fitted model for the design. It was observed that, quadaratic model is best fitted model for the design. The prepared ethosomes formulation can further incorporated in situ gel for effective treatment of migraine.

Interim analysis of the Registry for Load and Management of Medication Overuse Headache (RELEASE): A multicenter, comprehensive medication overuse headache registry

Background Characteristics, disabilities, and optimal management of medication overuse headache remain uncertain. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical characteristics of patients with medication overuse headache enrolled in a medication overuse headache registry in Korea. Methods The Registry for Load and Management of MEdicAtion OveruSE Headache (RELEASE), a cross-sectional prospective observational study including seven referral headache centers in Korea, started enrolling adult patients with medication overuse headache in April 2020. Data included information on headache characteristics, burden on daily function, depression, anxiety, history of acute and preventive medications, and treatment strategies. Results A total of 229 patients (85.6% females; mean age, 45.5 ± 13.5 years) were enrolled by June 2021. The average durations of chronic headaches and medication overuse were 6.5 and 4.3 years, respectively. In the past month before enrollment, patients had headaches for 25 days and severe headaches for 12 days, and used acute medications for 20 days. Patients were disabled in 66.8 days in the past 3 months and had moderate/severe depression and anxiety in 56% and 35%, respectively. The proportion of patients on preventive treatments increased from 38% to 93% during the study period. Conclusions RELEASE study reflects the current management status and opportunities to improve the quality of care in patients with medication overuse headache.

Pulsed Radiofrequency of the Occipital Nerves: Results of a Standardized Protocol on Chronic Headache Management

Background: Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the occipital nerves has neuromodulative properties and is used for chronic pain management. However, its role in various types of chronic headaches has not been adequately investigated so far. Objectives: Τhis was an observational, open-label, prospective study aiming to assess the efficacy of PRF of occipital nerves on various types of chronic headache management. Methods: Patients with chronic headaches followed up at the pain management unit were scheduled for PRF of both occipital nerves after a positive diagnostic nerve block. PRF was applied following a standardized protocol at 42°C, and the number of headaches per month was assessed as a primary outcome at baseline (before treatment), as well as after 1, 3, and 6 months. Pain intensity during headache crises was recorded using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS, 0 - 10), Results: Fifty-seven patients suffering from chronic migraines, cluster headaches, tension-type headaches, and occipital neuralgia were studied. PRF significantly improved the number of headache episodes per month, as well as the pain intensity of the crises. The median number of headache episodes per month was significantly reduced in patients with migraine, from 14.5 to 4 after 1 month, and to 6.5 after 6 months. The same was seen for patients with clusters, who were also improved. A statistically significant reduction in NRS values over time was seen for all types of headaches. Conclusions: PRF of the occipital nerves can lead to a reduction of the number of headache episodes per month, improving the intensity of pain during each episode.

Arterial spin labeling as an ancillary assessment to postoperative conventional angiogram in pediatric moyamoya disease

OBJECTIVE Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is commonly performed after pial synangiosis surgery for pediatric moyamoya disease to assess the degree of neovascularization. However, angiography is invasive, and the risk of ionizing radiation is a concern in children. In this study, the authors aimed to identify whether arterial spin labeling (ASL) can predict postoperative angiogram grading. In addition, they sought to determine whether patients who underwent ASL imaging without DSA had similar postoperative outcomes when compared with patients who received ASL imaging and postoperative DSA. METHODS The medical records of pediatric patients who underwent pial synangiosis for moyamoya disease at a quaternary children’s hospital were reviewed during a 10-year period. ASL-only and ASL+DSA cohorts were analyzed. The frequency of preoperative and postoperative symptoms was analyzed within each cohort. Three neuroradiologists assigned a visual ASL grade for each patient indicating the change from the preoperative to postoperative ASL perfusion sequences. A postoperative neovascularization grade was also assigned for patients who underwent DSA. RESULTS Overall, 21 hemispheres of 14 patients with ASL only and 14 hemispheres of 8 patients with ASL+DSA were analyzed. The groups had similar rates of MRI evidence of acute or chronic stroke preoperatively (61.9% in the ASL-only group and 64.3% in the ASL+DSA group). In the entire cohort, transient ischemic attack (TIA) (p = 0.027), TIA composite (TIA or unexplained neurological symptoms; p = 0.0006), chronic headaches (p = 0.035), aphasia (p = 0.019), and weakness (p = 0.001) all had decreased frequency after intervention. The authors found a positive association between revascularization observed on DSA and the visual ASL grading (p = 0.048). The visual ASL grades in patients with an angiogram indicating robust neovascularization demonstrated improved perfusion when compared with the ASL grades of patients with a poor neovascularization. CONCLUSIONS Noninvasive ASL perfusion imaging had an association with postoperative DSA neoangiogenesis following pial synangiosis surgery in children. There were no significant postoperative stroke differences between the ASL-only and ASL+DSA cohorts. Both cohorts demonstrated significant improvement in preoperative symptoms after surgery. Further study in larger cohorts is necessary to determine whether the results of this study are validated in order to circumvent the invasive catheter angiogram.

Development and Feasibility of the Headache-Related Light and Sound Sensitivity Inventories in Youth

Youth with chronic headache disorders often experience sensitivities to light and sound that trigger or exacerbate their headaches and contribute to functional disability. At present, there are no known validated measures for assessing these sensitivities and their impact on functioning in youth with chronic headaches. This pilot study sought to develop and assess the feasibility of measures of headache-related light and sounds sensitivities in youth with chronic headache disorders. The initial item pools were generated via an intensive literature review, an informal quality improvement project, and a panel of experts in chronic pain. Then, youth (n = 20) presenting for clinical evaluation of headaches completed the revised items as well as assessments of the measures’ feasibility and items’ understandability. A subset (n = 2) completed formal cognitive interviews as well. The resulting 20-item Headache-Related Light Sensitivity Inventory (HALSI) and 18-item Headache-Related Sound Sensitivity Inventory (HASSI) for youth assess headache-related sensory sensitivities, as well as related emotional and behavioral responses. Through the iterative incorporation of feedback, these measures appear to be feasible to administer and understandable tools for assessing light and sound sensitivity in youth with chronic headache disorders. Once they are empirically validated, they have the potential to serve as important tools for understanding the patient experience, developing interventions, and assessing treatment response.