Cephalalgia : an international journal of headache
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The HURT Questionnaire consists of eight questions which the patient answers as a measure of effectiveness of intervention against headache. This first assessment of clinical utility was conducted in headache specialist centres in three countries in order to demonstrate that HURT was responsive to change induced by effective management. We administered HURT on three occasions to 159 consecutive patients seeking non-urgent care from centres in Denmark and the United Kingdom: the first before the initial visit to the centres; the second at the initial visit; and the third when the specialist judged that the best possible outcome had been achieved in each patient. ⋯ We conclude that the questionnaire has utility across headache disorders. It can help patients describe headache frequency and headache-attributed disability, medication use/efficacy/tolerability, self-efficacy and knowledge about headache. It may guide physicians in assessment of disability of individual patients, how to proceed with management towards the best possible outcome, and in evaluating the quality of management.
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To investigate whether cluster headache (CH) was a risk factor for depression in a nationwide population-based follow-up study. Background There are few studies about the relationship between CH and depression, and prior research has been limited by cross-sectional studies or small sample sizes. ⋯ Our results showed that CH is associated with an increased risk for depression. The strength of this association is similar to that of migraine.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Prednisone for the treatment of withdrawal headache in patients with medication overuse headache: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
To investigate the efficacy of prednisone for treatment of withdrawal headache in patients with medication overuse headache (MOH). ⋯ During withdrawal in MOH, prednisone reduces rescue medication without decreasing the severity and duration of withdrawal headache.
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Comparative Study
Comparisons of disability, quality of life, and resource use between chronic and episodic migraineurs: a clinic-based study in Taiwan.
The International Burden of Migraine Study (IBMS) showed chronic migraine (CM) was associated with a higher disease burden than episodic migraine (EM). However, in this study Asians with CM were underrepresented. Objectives We investigated if CM and EM differed in headache-related disability, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and health care resource utilization in Taiwan. ⋯ Compared to EM, CM was significantly associated with higher disability, lower HRQoL and greater health care resource utilization and productivity loss.
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Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) and short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with cranial autonomic symptoms (SUNA) are rare types of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs). Objective To describe a series of patients with SUNCT and SUNA including relationship to pituitary tumors. ⋯ All five of our patients with typical SUNCT had pituitary tumors, with headache ipsilateral to the pituitary tumors in all cases. Tumor removal provided major improvement in three out of five patients. Medical treatment was only partially effective.