The role of psychological interventions in chronic headache management: a case report

According to the biopsychosocial model, biological, psychological, and social factors entwine and influence each other bi-directionally concerning health conditions. Therefore, especially in disorders such as chronic headache, where behavioral and environmental factors are prominent risk factors and triggers, psychosocial interventions might contribute to reduce the burden of the health condition and related affective disorders and disability.We present the case of a Medication Overuse Headache patient self-reporting psychosocial and cognitive issues, that prompted further clinical-psychological and neuro-cognitive assessment and eventually psychological interventions targeted at headache management in conjunction with medical treatment. Psychological interventions were tailored to the patient’s features and presentation and were successful in reducing headache attacks in terms of intensity, frequency, and debilitation, thereby resulting also in a better perceived general health

Diagnosis and treatment of headache probably attributed to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare condition whose most common and sometimes only symptom is headache. Alas, diagnosis and treatment of CVST is often delayed or overlooked because of its high clinical variability. Using guidelines advices in detecting warning signs or symptoms of secondary headaches might ease the diagnosis of CVST.The article presents the case of a woman who is in treatment for chronic migraine and assessed for secondary headache in a multidisciplinary outpatient headache program. Alert symptoms like sudden worsening headache presentation, along with anamnestic cues, prompted neuroimaging that detected left transverse sinus thrombosis whose onset was difficult to date

The first interim analysis of Italian patients enrolled in the real-world, Pan-European, prospective, observational, phase 4 PEARL study of fremanezumab effectiveness

Introduction: In 2020, the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) approved the reimbursement of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) pathway monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), including fremanezumab, in patients with a Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) score ≥ 11, with prescription renewals for up to 12 months in patients with ≥ 50% reduction in MIDAS score at Months 3 and 6. In this sub-analysis of the Pan-European Real Life (PEARL) study, we provide real-world data on fremanezumab use in Italian routine clinical practice (EUPAS35111). Methods: This first interim analysis for Italy was conducted when 300 enrolled adult patients with episodic or chronic migraine (EM, CM) completed 6 months of treatment with fremanezumab. The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients achieving ≥ 50% reduction in monthly migraine days (MMD) across the 6 months post-fremanezumab initiation. Secondary endpoints include: proportion of patients achieving ≥ 50% reduction in MIDAS score at Months 3 and 6, and mean change from baseline across Months 1-6 in MMD and headache-related disability. Safety was assessed through adverse events (AEs) reported. Results: Of 354 patients enrolled at Italian centers, 318 (EM, 35.5%, CM, 64.5%) were included in the effectiveness analysis. Of patients with available data, 109 (61.2%) achieved the primary endpoint. 61.0% and 65.1% achieved ≥ 50% reduction in MMDs at Months 3 and 6, respectively; 79.9% and 81.0% experienced ≥ 50% reduction in MIDAS at the same timepoints. Conclusion: Fremanezumab was effective and well-tolerated over the first 6 months of treatment, with approximately 80% of patients meeting Italian criteria for treatment continuation at Months 3 and 6

Diagnosis and treatment of headache probably attributed to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare condition whose most common and sometimes only symptom is headache. Alas, diagnosis and treatment of CVST is often delayed or overlooked because of its high clinical variability. Using guidelines advices in detecting warning signs or symptoms of secondary headaches might ease the diagnosis of CVST. The article presents the case of a woman who is in treatment for chronic migraine and assessed for secondary headache in a multidisciplinary outpatient headache program. Alert symptoms like sudden worsening headache presentation, along with anamnestic cues, prompted neuroimaging that detected left transverse sinus thrombosis whose onset was difficult to date