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Cabral G, Serôdio M, Krupka D, Ferreira VM, Calado S, Baptista MV. Are there differences between patients with unifocal nummular headache and those who progress to bifocal nummular headache? A retrospective observational study. Headache 2024; 64:1065-1068. [PMID: 38860505 DOI: 10.1111/head.14751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This retrospective observational cohort study aimed to compare clinical characteristics and treatment responses in patients exclusively experiencing unifocal nummular headache (NH) with those who develop the bifocal variant. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with NH who attended a neurology (headache) outpatient clinic between January 2018 and December 2022. The cohort was divided into two groups: Group 1, exclusive unifocal NH; and Group 2, those developing a secondary focal area of pain, i.e., bifocal NH. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, clinical features, other headache comorbidities, and treatment-related information. RESULTS A total of 23 patients were included in this study: 12 were categorized as unifocal NH (Group 1) and 11 as bifocal NH (Group 2). There were no differences between the two groups in terms of demographic characteristics, clinical features, or treatment response. Nonetheless, patients with bifocal NH exhibited spontaneous remission rates in the first pain area when compared to the unifocal NH group, with statistically significant differences (36% vs. 0%, p = 0.020). CONCLUSION In our sample, patients with bifocal NH demonstrated spontaneous remission rates in the initial pain area, a phenomenon not observed in patients with unifocal NH. It is worth noting the limited sample size in the present study, highlighting the need for larger cohorts to validate and further explore our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Cabral
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Unidade de Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Serôdio
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Unidade de Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Danna Krupka
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Unidade de Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Vitor Mendes Ferreira
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Unidade de Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sofia Calado
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Unidade de Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal
- Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel V Baptista
- Neurology Department, Hospital de Egas Moniz, Unidade de Local de Saúde de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal
- Chronic Diseases Research Center (CEDOC), NOVA Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Nummular headache and epicrania fugax are two primary headaches that fall under the heading of epicranial headaches. METHODS This article reviews the epidemiological and clinical features of nummular headache and epicrania fugax, proposed pathogenic mechanisms and state-of-the-art management, according to the literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Nummular headache and epicrania fugax are generally viewed as rare headache disorders, but no population-based epidemiological data are available. Nummular headache is characterized by continuous or intermittent head pain, which remains circumscribed in a round or oval area of the scalp, typically one to six centimeters in diameter. Epicrania fugax manifests with brief paroxysms of pain that move along the surface of the head, following a linear or zigzag trajectory through different nerve territories. Nummular headache and epicrania fugax are mostly primary headaches, but some secondary cases have been reported. The pathogenesis of these headaches is not fully understood. Nummular headache could probably originate in epicranial tissues or adjacent intracranial structures, while the origin of epicrania fugax could be extracranial or intracranial. Diagnostic assessment requires careful examination of the symptomatic areas. Underlying disorders should be excluded by additional investigations, including neuroimaging and appropriate blood tests. No controlled clinical trials have been conducted in nummular headache or epicrania fugax. Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, botulinum toxin and gabapentin are currently the most recommended treatment options for nummular headache. In epicrania fugax, the most used treatments are gabapentin, lamotrigine, and other antiseizure medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-Luz Cuadrado
- Headache Unit, Department of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Treatment of Primary Nummular Headache: A Series of 183 Patients from the NUMITOR Study. J Clin Med 2022; 12:jcm12010122. [PMID: 36614923 PMCID: PMC9821628 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12010122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Nummular headache (NH) is a primary headache characterized by superficial coin-shaped pain. NUMITOR (NCT05475769) is an observational study evaluating the responder rate of preventive drugs in NH patients. The treatment response was assessed between weeks 8 and 12 compared with the baseline. Patients were included between February 2002 and October 2022. Demographic and clinical variables were assessed; treatment response was estimated by 50%, 30%, and 75% responder rates and treatment discontinuation due to inadequate tolerability. A total of 183 out of 282 patients fulfilled eligibility criteria and completed the study. Patients were aged 49.5 (standard deviation (SD): 16.8) years, and 60.7% were female. NH phenotype was a parietal circular pain of four centimeters' diameter, moderate intensity, and oppressive quality. At baseline, patients had 25 (interquartile range) pain days per month. Preventive treatment was used by 114 (62.3%) patients. The highest 50% and 75% responder rates corresponded to onabotulinumtoxinA (62.5%, 47.5%), followed by gabapentin (43.7%, 35.2%). Oral preventive drugs were not tolerated by 12.9-25%. The present study provides class IV evidence of the effectiveness of oral preventive drugs and onabotulinumtoxinA in the treatment of primary NH. OnabotulinumtoxinA was the most effective and best-tolerated drug, positioning it as first-line treatment of NH.
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Patel UK, Saleem S, Anwar A, Malik P, Chauhan B, Kapoor A, Arumaithurai K, Kavi T. Characteristics and treatment effectiveness of the nummular headache: a systematic review and analysis of 110 cases. BMJ Neurol Open 2020; 2:e000049. [PMID: 33681785 PMCID: PMC7871727 DOI: 10.1136/bmjno-2020-000049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE Nummular headache (NH) is a primary headache disorder characterised by intermittent or continuous scalp pain, affecting a small circumscribed area of the scalp. As there are limited data in the literature on NH, we conducted this review to evaluate demographic characteristics and factors associated with complete resolution of the headache, and effectiveness of treatment options. METHODS We performed a systematic review of cases reported through PubMed database, using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol and 'nummular headache', 'coin-shaped headache' and 'coin-shaped cephalalgia' keywords. Analysis was performed by using χ2 test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test. For individual interventions, the response rate (RR%) of the treatment was calculated. RESULTS We analysed a total of 110 NH cases, with median age 47 years and age of pain onset 42 years. Median duration to make correct diagnosis was 18 months after first attack. The median intensity of each attack was 5/10 on verbal rating scale over 4 cm diameter with duration of attack <30 min. Patients with NH had median three attacks per day with frequency of 9.5 days per month. 40 (57.97%) patients had complete resolution of the headache after treatment. Patients with complete resolution were younger, more likely to be female, and were more likely to have diagnosis within year. Patients with complete resolution more likely to have received treatment with onabotulinum toxin A (botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A)), and gabapentin compared with patients without complete resolution. Most effective interventions were gabapentin (n=34; RR=67.7%), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (n=32; RR=65.6%), BoNT-A (n=12; RR=100%) and tricyclic antidepressant (n=9; RR=44.4%). CONCLUSION Younger patients, female sex and early diagnosis were associated with complete resolution. NSAIDs, gabapentin and BoNT-A were most commonly used medications, with significant RRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urvish K Patel
- Department of Neurology and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sidra Saleem
- Department of Neurology, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Arsalan Anwar
- Department of Neurology, UH Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Preeti Malik
- Department of Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Bindi Chauhan
- Department of Public Health, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Ashish Kapoor
- Department of Neurology, Bayonne Medical Center, Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
| | | | - Tapan Kavi
- Department of Neurology, Rowan University Cooper Medical School, Camden, New Jersey, USA
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Trigo J, García-Azorín D, Martinez Pias E, Sierra Á, Chavarría A, Guerrero AL. Clinical characteristics of nummular headache and differentiation between spontaneous and posttraumatic variant: an observational study. J Headache Pain 2019; 20:34. [PMID: 30961529 PMCID: PMC6734533 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-019-0981-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head trauma has been described as a precipitating event in Nummular Headache (NH). We aimed to describe the largest NH published series and compare characteristics between idiopathic and post-traumatic cases. METHODS Patients attended in a Headache Unit in a tertiary hospital (January 2008-January 2018). NH diagnosed according to International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) criteria. We prospectively considered clinical and epidemiological data, comparing idiopathic cases with those precipitated by a cranial trauma. RESULTS We included 225 patients (145 women, 80 men) with NH. Median latency between onset and diagnosis was 10 months (IQR: 5-24). Symptomatic treatment was used in 190 patients (84.4%) among which 142 (74.7%) experienced response to it. Preventive treatment was necessary in 127 patients (51.4%), among which 95 (74.8%) achieved response. 29 patients (23 women, 6 men) described a head trauma related to beginning of pain. When comparing groups with or without previous trauma, age of onset was higher among post-traumatic patients (59.9 ± 17.4 vs 48.1 ± 18 years, p: 0.001). Allodynia upon palpation was encountered more frequently in trauma triggered painful areas (53.3% vs. 32.7%, p: 0.02). No other clinical characteristics differences were observed. CONCLUSION Cranial trauma is not a rare trigger of NH. Patients with post-traumatic forms are older and the presence of allodynia is more frequent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Trigo
- Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 3, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - David García-Azorín
- Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 3, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Enrique Martinez Pias
- Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 3, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Álvaro Sierra
- Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 3, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alba Chavarría
- Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 3, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Angel Luis Guerrero
- Headache Unit, Neurology Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 3, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
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Abstract
Nummular headache (NH) is an unusual disorder attributed to a dysfunction of the epicranial nerves. We report a new series of cases, highlighting some clinical features, the association with other headaches, and the therapeutic response. Data of patients with NH, fulfilling ICHD-3 criteria, observed in a Headache Outpatient clinic during 5 years, were retrieved from records. Response to onabotulinumtoxinA was recorded prospectively and evaluated with a Headache Impact Test (HIT). Twenty-four patients, aged 53.8 (±14.6) years at diagnosis, 13 women, had definitive ( N = 21) or probable ( N = 3) NH for an average of 2.4 years. Headache was consistently localized, more frequently extratrigeminal ( N = 15) and parietal, and confined to the scalp. Pain was unremitting since onset in 58.3% of mild-to-moderate severity often with superimposed paroxysms (66.7%) and local allodynia (70.8%). In five cases, there was a possible precipitant. Thirteen patients reported other headaches, preceding NH by 8.2 years. In eight persistent cases, there was a significant improvement on HIT, after onabotulinumtoxinA. Despite its persistence, NH may go unrecognized for years. It often follows other headache types and has some tropism for hair-covered regions of the scalp. OnabotulinumtoxinA seems effective in persistent cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Pavão Martins
- Headache Outpatient Clinic, Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria, CHLN Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luis Abreu
- Headache Outpatient Clinic, Department of Neurology, Hospital de Santa Maria, CHLN Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Estudos Egas Moniz, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Cuadrado ML, López-Ruiz P, Guerrero ÁL. Nummular headache: an update and future prospects. Expert Rev Neurother 2017; 18:9-19. [DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1401925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- María Luz Cuadrado
- Department of Neurology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro López-Ruiz
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Quirón Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel L Guerrero
- Department of Neurology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad de Valladolid (UVA), Valladolid, Spain
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