Headache
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To evaluate the impact of incident transformed migraine on health care resource utilization, medication use, and productivity loss. In addition, the study estimates the total direct and indirect costs associated with transformed migraine. ⋯ Transformed migraine exacts a significantly higher economic toll on patients and health care systems compared with other forms of migraine. Our findings support the need to prevent migraine progression and to provide appropriate management and treatment of transformed migraine.
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Clinical Trial
Sphenopalatine ganglion radiofrequency ablation for the management of chronic cluster headache.
Chronic cluster headache patients are often resistant to pharmacological management. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) was shown before to improve episodic cluster headache but not chronic cluster headache. We were interested to examine the effect of such intervention in patients with intractable chronic cluster headache who failed pharmacological management. ⋯ Our data showed that percutaneous RFA of the SPG is an effective modality of treatment for patients with intractable chronic cluster headaches. Precise needle placement with the use of real-time fluoroscopy and electrical stimulation prior to attempting radiofrequency lesioning may reduce the incidence of adverse events.
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Headache is commonly reported in patients presenting with orofacial pain. It has only recently been demonstrated that headache-related disability is high in orofacial pain patients. Traumatic life events (TLEs) such as sexual abuse, physical abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also common in orofacial pain patients and in the same patients reporting headache. In association with a previously reported study of headache disability in orofacial pain patients, it was noted that Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) scores appeared to be significantly higher in patients with TLEs. ⋯ This is the first study to demonstrate that headache disability is significantly higher in a group of orofacial pain patients with TLEs and is correlated with that report of traumatic events. These findings clearly demonstrate the necessity for providers to consider a history of TLEs in orofacial pain patients presenting with headache.
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To gauge consensus regarding a proposed definition for refractory migraine proposed by Refractory Headache Special Interest Section, and where its use would be most appropriate. ⋯ There is a consensus for a need for a definition for refractory migraine and that it should be added to the International Classification of Headache Disorder-2. There was also general agreement by the responders that refractory forms of non-migraine headache disorders should be defined.