56 research outputs found
Cluster headache attack remission with sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation:experiences in chronic cluster headache patients through 24Â months
BACKGROUND: Cluster headache (CH) is a debilitating headache disorder with severe consequences for patient quality of life. On-demand neuromodulation targeting the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) is effective in treating the acute pain and a subgroup of patients experience a decreased frequency of CH attacks. METHODS: We monitored self-reported attack frequency, headache disability, and medication intake in 33 patients with medically refractory, chronic CH (CCH) in an open label follow-up study of the original Pathway CH-1 study. Patients were followed for at least 24 months (average 750âÂąâ34 days, range 699-847) after insertion of an SPG microstimulator. Remission periods (attack-free periods exceeding one month, per the ICHD 3 (beta) definition) occurring during the 24-month study period were characterized. Attack frequency, acute effectiveness, medication usage, and questionnaire data were collected at regular clinic visits. The time point âafter remissionâ was defined as the first visit after the end of the remission period. RESULTS: Thirty percent (10/33) of enrolled patients experienced at least one period of complete attack remission. All remission periods followed the start of SPG stimulation, with the first period beginning 134âÂąâ86 (range 21-272) days after initiation of stimulation. On average, each patientâs longest remission period lasted 149âÂąâ97 (range 62-322) days. The ability to treat acute attacks before and after remission was similar (37 %âÂąâ25 % before, 49 %âÂąâ32 % after; pâ=â0.2188). Post-remission headache disability (HIT-6) was significantly improved versus baseline (67.7âÂąâ6.0 before, 55.2âÂąâ11.4 after; pâ=â0.0118). Six of the 10 remission patients experienced clinical improvements in their preventive medication use. At 24 months post insertion headache disability improvements remained and patient satisfaction measures were positive in 100 % (10/10). CONCLUSIONS: In this population of 33 refractory CCH patients, in addition to providing the ability to treat acute attacks, neuromodulation of the SPG induced periods of remission from cluster attacks in a subset of these. Some patients experiencing remission were also able to reduce or stop their preventive medication and remissions were accompanied by an improvement in headache disability
The relationship between headache-attributed disability and lost productivity: 2. Empirical evidence from population-based studies in nine disparate countries
BACKGROUND: Headache disorders are disabling, with major consequences for productivity, yet the literature is silent on the relationship between headache-attributed disability and lost productivity, often erroneously regarding the two as synonymous. We evaluated the relationship empirically, having earlier found that investment in structured headache services would be cost saving, not merely cost-effective, if reductions in headache-attributed disability led to >â20% pro rata recovery of lost productivity. METHODS: We used individual participant data from Global Campaign population-based studies conducted in China, Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Russia, and from Eurolight in Lithuania, Luxembourg and Spain. We assessed relationships in migraine and probable medication-overuse headache (pMOH), the most disabling common headache disorders. Available symptom data included headache frequency, usual duration and usual intensity. We used frequency and duration to estimate proportion of time in ictal state (pTIS). Disability, in the sense used by the Global Burden of Disease study, was measured as the product of pTIS and disability weight for the ictal state. Impairment was measured as pTIS * intensity. Lost productivity was measured as lost days (absence orââ20% in all countries but Pakistan). Analysing impairment rather than disability increased variability. For pMOH, with smaller numbers, associations were generally weaker, occasionally negative and mostly not significant. CONCLUSION: Relief of disability through effective treatment of migraine is expected, in most countries, to recover >â20% pro rata of lost productivity, above the threshold for investment in structured headache services to be cost saving
The diagnosis and management of idiopathic intracranial hypertension and the associated headache
The TRPA1-agonist trans-cinnamaldehyde as a histamine-independent human surrogate model of itch
Emerging and developing situational interest during children's tabletâmediated biology learning activities at a nature center
The usefulness and applicability of a basic headache diary before first consultation: results of a pilot study conducted in two centres
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