Cluster headache: clinical features and therapeutic options

Cluster headache in Greece: an observational clinical and demographic study of 302 patients

BACKGROUND

Cluster headache (CH) is considered the most excruciating primary headache syndrome; although much less prevalent than migraine, it is not rare as it affects more than 1/1000 people. While its clinical presentation is considered stereotypic, atypical features are often encountered. Internationally, cluster headache is often misdiagnosed, undertreated and mistreated.

METHODS

We prospectively studied 302 CH patients, all examined by the same headache specialist. The aim of our study was to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of CH patients in Greece and draw attention to under-management, under-treatment and mis-treatment often encountered in clinical practice; our purpose is to improve recognition and successful treatment of cluster patients by Greek neurologists and other physicians.

RESULTS

In the present cohort, clinical characteristics of CH are similar to those described in other populations. Beyond the standard clinical characteristics, features like side shifts (12.6 %), location of maximal pain intensity outside the first trigeminal branch division (10.2 %), lack of autonomic features (7 %), presence of associated features of migraine and aggravation by physical activity (10 %) were encountered. Four out of five patients had consulted a physician prior to diagnosis. The median number of physicians seen prior to diagnosis was 3 and the median time to diagnosis was 5 years, though it improved for patients with recent onset. Chronic cluster headache, side shifts, pain location in the face or the back of the head and aggravation by physical activity were found, among others, to be statistically significantly related to delayed diagnosis or more physicians seen prior to diagnosis. Even properly diagnosed patients were often undertreated or mistreated.

CONCLUSIONS

Cluster headache, in a large cohort of Greek patients, has the same phenotypic characteristics as described internationally. Uncommon clinical features do exist and physicians should be aware of those, since they may eventuate in diagnostic problems. Most CH patients in Greece remain misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for rather lengthy periods of time, but time to diagnosis has improved recently. Even after diagnosis, treatment received was suboptimal.

[Update on trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia]

Cluster headache, paroxysmal hemicrania and short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT syndrome) are classified under trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia (TAC). The proposed revision of the international classification of headache disorders (ICDH-3 beta) adds hemicrania continua to this diagnostic group. Moreover, diagnostic criteria of the other TACs were modified and are characterized by persistent headache or headache attacks accompanied by cranial autonomic symptoms. The main difference between the various TACs is the duration of attacks. Differentiation is important because different pharmacological strategies are necessary.

Headaches in multiple sclerosis patients might imply an inflammatorial process

Recent studies on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) pathology mention the involvement of "tertiary B cell follicles" in MS pathogenesis. This inflammatory process, which occurs with interindividually great variance, might be a link between MS pathology and headaches. The aim of this study was to detect the prevalence of headaches and of subtypes of headaches (migraine, cluster, tension-type headache [TTH]) in an unselected MS collective and to compile possibly influencing factors. Unselected MS patients (n = 180) with and without headache were examined by a semi-structured interview using a questionnaire about headache, depression and the health status. Additionally clinical MS data (expanded disability state score [EDSS], MS course, medication, disease duration) were gathered. N = 98 MS patients (55.4%) reported headaches in the previous 4 weeks. We subsequently grouped headache patients according to the IHS criteria and detected 16 (16.3%) MS patients suffering from migraine (migraine with aura: 2 [2%]; migraine without aura: 14 [14.3%]), 23 (23.5%) suffering from TTH and none with a cluster headache. Thus, headaches of 59 (60.2%) MS patients remained unclassified. When comparing MS patients with and without headaches significant differences in age, gender, MS course, physical functioning, pain and social functioning occurred. MS patients with headaches were significantly younger of age (p = 0.001), female (p = 0.001) and reported more often of a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapsing/remitting MS (RRMS) instead of secondary chronic progressive MS (SCP). EDSS was significantly lower in MS patients suffering from headaches compared to the MS patients without headaches (p = 0.001). In conclusion headache in MS patients is a relevant symptom, especially in early stages of the MS disease. Especially unclassified headache seems to represent an important symptom in MS course and requires increased attention.

Study protocol of Prednisone in episodic Cluster Headache (PredCH): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral prednisone as an add-on therapy in the prophylactic treatment of episodic cluster headache with verapamil

BACKGROUND

Episodic cluster headache (ECH) is a primary headache disorder that severely impairs patient's quality of life. First-line therapy in the initiation of a prophylactic treatment is verapamil. Due to its delayed onset of efficacy and the necessary slow titration of dosage for tolerability reasons prednisone is frequently added by clinicians to the initial prophylactic treatment of a cluster episode. This treatment strategy is thought to effectively reduce the number and intensity of cluster attacks in the beginning of a cluster episode (before verapamil is effective). This study will assess the efficacy and safety of oral prednisone as an add-on therapy to verapamil and compare it to a monotherapy with verapamil in the initial prophylactic treatment of a cluster episode.

METHODS AND DESIGN

PredCH is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel study arms. Eligible patients with episodic cluster headache will be randomized to a treatment intervention with prednisone or a placebo arm. The multi-center trial will be conducted in eight German headache clinics that specialize in the treatment of ECH.

DISCUSSION

PredCH is designed to assess whether oral prednisone added to first-line agent verapamil helps reduce the number and intensity of cluster attacks in the beginning of a cluster episode as compared to monotherapy with verapamil.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00004716.

[Migraine myths]

Migraine is the most frequent cause of headache in patients seeking medical advice. Even ophthalmologists are frequently confronted with this diagnosis. In many cases a diagnosis can be easily established by a targeted patient history. Accompanying symptoms deserve attention, especially the aura which often leads patients directly to the ophthalmologist. Concerning migraine therapy well-established guidelines exist but despite this many patients remain undiagnosed and inadequately treated. Many myths and half-truths are associated with migraine headache. This article aims to give an overview for ophthalmologists.

[Facial and eye pain - Neurological differential diagnosis]

Head and facial pain are common in neurological practice and the pain often arises in the orbit or is referred into the eye. This is due to the autonomic innervation of the eye and orbit. There are acute and chronic pain syndromes. This review gives an overview of the differential diagnosis and treatment. Idiopathic headache syndromes, such as migraine and cluster headache are the most frequent and are often debilitating conditions. Trigemino-autonomic cephalalgias (SUNCT and SUNA) have to be taken into account, as well as trigeminal neuralgia. Trigemino-autonomic headache after eye operations can be puzzling and often responds well to triptans. Every new facial pain not fitting these categories must be considered symptomatic and a thorough investigation is mandatory including magnetic resonance imaging. Infiltrative and neoplastic conditions frequently lead to orbital pain. As a differential diagnosis Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and Raeder syndrome are inflammatory conditions sometimes mimicking neoplasms. Infections, such as herpes zoster ophthalmicus are extremely painful and require rapid therapy. It is important to consider carotid artery dissection as a cause for acute eye and neck pain in conjunction with Horner's syndrome and bear in mind that vascular oculomotor palsy is often painful. All of the above named conditions should be diagnosed by a neurologist with special experience in pain syndromes and many require an interdisciplinary approach.