Headache
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Although diagnostic rates for migraine have increased over the past 5 years, the proportion of migraine sufferers using triptans has remained essentially stable. ⋯ New use of triptans is low in the population. Because adequacy of care was not assessed, future studies should focus on investigating whether this low rate of triptan start is proper or if it reflects an unmet treatment need.
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To determine whether controlled changes in barometric pressure activate rat spinal trigeminal neurons as a possible animal correlate of headaches. ⋯ We conclude that distinct neurons in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis, particularly with preferential afferent input from the eye, respond to lowering of atmospheric pressure. Similar mechanisms may contribute to the generation of headaches during changes in weather.
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Studies using resources of a public family health program to estimate the prevalence of chronic daily headaches (CDH) are lacking. ⋯ The prevalence of CDH in the rural area of Brazil is similar to what has been reported in previous studies. A significant proportion of them have psychiatric comorbidities and/or TMD. In this sample, comorbidities were as frequent as reported in convenience samples from tertiary headache centers.
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Comparative Study
An analysis of migraine triggers in a clinic-based population.
Many migraineurs report attack "triggers," but relatively few published data exist regarding the relative prevalences of individual triggers, variations related to gender, duration of migraine or migraine subtype, or the existence of any regional variations in the prevalences and distributions of triggers. ⋯ A large majority of migraineurs report migraine attack triggers, and the triggers most commonly reported include emotional stress, a disrupted sleep pattern, and various odors. These findings do not appear to vary according to geographic region or race/ethnicity. Among the triggers, MM appears inclined to provoke headache that is more severe, less amenable to treatment, or longer in duration than headaches that occur at other times during the cycle.