Clinical Features of Probable Cluster Headache: A Prospective, Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study

An Analysis of the Determinants of the Health-Related Quality of Life in Asian Patients With Cluster Headaches During Cluster Periods Using the Time Trade-Off Method

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Patients with cluster headache (CH) exhibit impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, there have been few studies related to the HRQoL of patients with CH from Asian backgrounds. This study aimed to determine the impact of CH on HRQoL and to identify the factors affecting HRQoL in patients with CH during cluster periods.

METHODS

This prospective study enrolled patients with CH from 17 headache clinics in South Korea between September 2016 and February 2021. The study aimed to determine HRQoL in patients with CH using the EuroQol 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) index and the time trade-off (TTO) method. Age- and sex-matched headache-free participants were recruited as a control group.

RESULTS

The study included 423 patients with CH who experienced a cluster period at the time. EQ-5D scores were lower in patients with CH (0.88±0.43, mean±standard deviation) than in the controls (0.99±0.33, p<0.001). The TTO method indicated that 58 (13.6%) patients with CH exhibited moderate-to-severe HRQoL deterioration. The HRQoL states in patients with CH were associated with current smoking patterns, headache severity, frequency, and duration, and scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item scale (PHQ-9), 6-item Headache Impact Test, and 12-item Allodynia Symptom Checklist. Multivariable logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the HRQoL states in patients with CH were negatively correlated with the daily frequency of headaches, cluster period duration, and GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with CH experienced a worse quality of life during cluster periods compared with the headache-free controls, but the degree of HRQoL deterioration varied among them. The daily frequency of headaches, cluster period duration, anxiety, and depression were factors associated with HRQoL deterioration severity in patients with CH.

Epidemiology, burden and clinical spectrum of cluster headache: a global update

BACKGROUND

This narrative review aims to broaden our understanding of the epidemiology, burden and clinical spectrum of cluster headache based on updated findings with a global perspective.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search on the following topics: (a) epidemiology; (b) burden: quality of life, disability, economic burden, job-related burden and suicidality; and (c) clinical spectrum: male predominance and its changes, age, pre-cluster and pre-attack symptoms, aura, post-drome, attack characteristics (location, severity, duration and associated symptoms), bout characteristics (attack frequency, bout duration and bout frequency), circadian and seasonal rhythmicity and disease course.

RESULTS

New large-scale population-based reports have suggested a lower prevalence than previous estimations. The impact of cluster headache creates a significant burden in terms of the quality of life, disability, economic and job-related burdens and suicidality. Several studies have reported decreasing male-to-female ratios and a wide age range at disease onset. The non-headache phases of cluster headache, including pre-cluster, pre-attack and postictal symptoms, have recently been revisited. The latest data regarding attack characteristics, bout characteristics, and circadian and seasonal rhythmicity from different countries have shown variability among bouts, attacks, individuals and ethnicities. Studies on the disease course of cluster headache have shown typical characteristics of attacks or bouts that decrease with time.

CONCLUSIONS

Cluster headache may be more than a "trigeminal autonomic headache" because it involves complex central nervous system phenomena. The spectrum of attacks and bouts is wider than previously recognised. Cluster headache is a dynamic disorder that evolves or regresses over time.

Clinical Profile of Chronic Cluster Headaches in a Regional Headache Center in Japan

Objective Little is known about the prevalence and characteristics of chronic cluster headache (CCH) in Japan. We therefore characterized the clinical profile of CCH in Japan by surveying patients with CCH who were registered at a Japanese regional headache center. We also reviewed the existing literature for the prevalence and clinical characteristics of CCH reported in various populations. Methods In this single-center retrospective study, we assessed consecutive patients with cluster headache (CH) who visited a regional tertiary headache center between February 2011 and July 2020. They were treated following the Clinical Practice Guideline for Chronic Headache 2013. We compared their demographic characteristics and clinical features according to the CCH onset pattern (primary vs. secondary). Results Of 420 patients with CH, 19 (4.2%) had CCH (9 primary and 10 secondary). The incidence of CCH in Japan is relatively low compared to that in Western countries but is comparable to that in other Asian countries. CCH showed a higher predominance of men than women. Compared to primary CCH, secondary CCH included a higher proportion of current smokers and older patients during clinic visits. Subcutaneous sumatriptan and oxygen inhalation were the most common abortive treatments, and oral prednisolone and verapamil were the most common preventive treatments. Home oxygen therapy was effective in six of seven patients. Only two patients with coexisting migraine received calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-targeted therapies. Conclusions CCH remains refractory to treatment. Improving treatment outcomes will require maximizing the use of currently available drugs and expanding the use of neuromodulation, nerve block, and CGRP-targeted therapies.

Feasibility, Utility, and Interrater Reliability of the Cluster Headache Severity Scale, Cluster Headache Quality of Life, Cluster Headache Index, and 6-Item Headache Impact Test in Pediatric Cluster Headache

Introduction: Cluster headache is rare in children and only a few clinical studies have systematically evaluated cluster headache in children. Methods: This study was conducted between August 2019 and December 2021 with the primary aim to evaluate the feasibility and utility of the Cluster Headache Severity Scale in determining the severity of cluster headache in patients aged less than 18 years and monitoring response to prescribed treatment. Secondary objectives were to evaluate the feasibility and utility of Cluster Headache Quality of Life, Cluster Headache Index, and 6-item Headache Impact Test in pediatric cluster headache patients to assess the quality of life, severity, and impact of cluster headache. Results: A total of 32 children (age of onset 11.9 ± 2.3 years, age of diagnosis 13.7 ± 2.4 years, 68% boys) were enrolled. Although 30 cases had their headache episodes occurring during nighttime, only 16 children had a Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) score >41 at baseline. All children responded to prednisolone as bridging therapy and 23 of 32 showed adequate pain relief after sumatriptan nasal spray for an acute attack. The average time taken for completion of Cluster Headache Index, Cluster Headache Severity Scale, Cluster Headache Quality of Life, and Headache Impact Test-6 scores were 5.2 ± 0.7, 5.1 ± 0.8, 27.4 ± 3.5, and 6.2 ± 0.8 minutes, respectively. The interrater reliability was good for Cluster Headache Severity Scale, Cluster Headache Quality of Life, and Headache Impact Test-6 (Cronbach α 0.93, 0.81, and 0.89, respectively). There was a strong positive correlation between the Cluster Headache Severity Scale score with Headache Impact Test-6 score and Cluster Headache Quality of Life score (correlation coefficient r = 0.90 and 0.98). Conclusion: Majority of pediatric cluster headache patients are likely to respond to prednisolone and sumatriptan. Cluster Headache Severity Scale, Cluster Headache Quality of Life, and Headache Impact Test-6 can be used for pediatric cluster headache patients for treatment monitoring.

Oxygen Therapy in Cluster Headache, Migraine, and Other Headache Disorders

Oxygen therapy (OT) can relieve head pain in certain primary headache disorders, including cluster headache (CH). The exact underlying mechanism is currently uncertain, but suggested mechanisms include inhibition of the trigeminoautonomic reflex, modulation of neurotransmitters, and cerebral vasoconstriction. OT is the standard for acute treatment of CH, but patients with CH often experience considerable difficulties accessing home OT due to problems with insurance coverage. Inhalation of 100% oxygen at 6–12 L/min for 15–30 min using a non-rebreather face mask is one of the most effective acute therapies for CH, but several trials have indicated the superiority of higher oxygen flow rates of up to 15 L/min and/or using a demand-valve oxygen mask that can produce very high flow rates. Two randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of OT in migraine, but obtaining reliable evidence is considered difficult because of different inhalation protocols, varying outcome measures, and small samples. There are some reports on the efficacy of OT as an adjuvant therapy in hypnic headache, primary headache in the emergency department, and even postdural puncture headache. The goal of this review article is to expand the knowledge regarding the use of oxygen in the treatment of headache disorders.

Cluster headache: a single tertiary center study

OBJECT

The characteristics of cluster headache (CH) patients in many countries and the diagnostic and therapeutic approach have been described in several publications, but so far no clinical data have been published from Turkey.

MATERIAL METHODS

This is a cross-sectional retrospective study that includes all patients who were diagnosed with CH and referred to our headache clinic, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, Neurology Department from 1991 to January 2018.

RESULTS

We included 114 patients (24 females and 90 males) in our study. The mean age at onset was 31.68 ± 12.72 (range 13-68). Eighty-six (78.18%) patients had episodic cluster headache (ECH) and 24 (21.82%) patients had chronic cluster headache (CCH). The age at onset was significantly higher in the patients with CCH than with ECH (p = 0.002). The most common location was orbitotemporal for both genders. The most common accompanying symptoms were lacrimation (80.73%). The male:female ratio in all patients was 3:7, 3.8:1 in those with CCH and 4:1 in those with ECH. Eighty-nine (87.25%) patients had prophylactic treatment and 60 of them received verapamil.

CONCLUSION

In our study, some clinical features of our patients were similar to those of Europe and America or the Asian countries and some of them not. There are regional differences in cluster headache patients. With more awareness of cluster headache and research from many countries, clinical differences can be revealed more objectively in the future.

Machine phenotyping of cluster headache and its response to verapamil

Cluster headache is characterized by recurrent, unilateral attacks of excruciating pain associated with ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms. Although a wide array of clinical, anatomical, physiological, and genetic data have informed multiple theories about the underlying pathophysiology, the lack of a comprehensive mechanistic understanding has inhibited, on the one hand, the development of new treatments and, on the other, the identification of features predictive of response to established ones. The first-line drug, verapamil, is found to be effective in only half of all patients, and after several weeks of dose escalation, rendering therapeutic selection both uncertain and slow. Here we use high-dimensional modelling of routinely acquired phenotypic and MRI data to quantify the predictability of verapamil responsiveness and to illuminate its neural dependants, across a cohort of 708 patients evaluated for cluster headache at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery between 2007 and 2017. We derive a succinct latent representation of cluster headache from non-linear dimensionality reduction of structured clinical features, revealing novel phenotypic clusters. In a subset of patients, we show that individually predictive models based on gradient boosting machines can predict verapamil responsiveness from clinical (410 patients) and imaging (194 patients) features. Models combining clinical and imaging data establish the first benchmark for predicting verapamil responsiveness, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.689 on cross-validation (95% confidence interval: 0.651 to 0.710) and 0.621 on held-out data. In the imaged patients, voxel-based morphometry revealed a grey matter cluster in lobule VI of the cerebellum (-4, -66, -20) exhibiting enhanced grey matter concentrations in verapamil non-responders compared with responders (familywise error-corrected P = 0.008, 29 voxels). We propose a mechanism for the therapeutic effect of verapamil that draws on the neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of the identified region. Our results reveal previously unrecognized high-dimensional structure within the phenotypic landscape of cluster headache that enables prediction of treatment response with modest fidelity. An analogous approach applied to larger, globally representative datasets could facilitate data-driven redefinition of diagnostic criteria and stronger, more generalizable predictive models of treatment responsiveness.

Clinical features of cluster headache without cranial autonomic symptoms: results from a prospective multicentre study

Although cranial autonomic symptoms (CAS) are typical in cluster headache (CH), some individuals with CH show no CAS during their headache attacks. Probable cluster headache (PCH) is a subtype of CH that fulfils all but one criterion of CH. This study aimed to investigate the frequency and clinical features of CH and PCH without CAS in comparison to those with CAS. We analysed data from the Korea Cluster Headache Registry, a prospective multicentre registry involving data from 16 hospitals. Of the 216 participants with CH and 26 with PCH, 19 (8.8%) and 7 (26.9%), respectively, did not have CAS. Participants with CH without CAS exhibited less severe anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7 score, median [interquartile range], 2.0 [1.0–6.0] vs 8.0 [3.0–12.0], p = 0.001) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score, 3.0 [1.0–7.0] vs 7.0 [3.0–11.0], p = 0.042) than those with CAS. Among participants with PCH, headache intensity was less severe in participants without CAS than in those with CAS (numeric rating scale, 8.0 [7.0–8.0] vs 9.5 [8.0–10.0], p = 0.015). In conclusion, a significant proportion of participants with CH and PCH did not have CAS. Some clinical features of CH and PCH differed based on the presence of CAS.

Cluster-Like Headache Revealing Polycythemia Vera: A Case Report

Herein, we report on a 44-year-old man who presented with cluster headache (CH)-like pain triggered by polycythemia vera (PV). He had severe unilateral head pain attacks lasting about 30 min not associated with cranial autonomic symptoms. After the exclusion of secondary etiologies, the patient was screened for a neoplastic process through biological markers, and the diagnosis of PV was established. The results of the initial laboratory examination showed hemoglobin at 18.1 g/L and Hct at 54%. JAK2 mutation analysis was positive at 54%, and marrow biopsy confirmed the hematopoietic clonal expansion, without myelofibrosis. He was treated with aspirin and ruxolitinib due to intolerance to interferon and the ineffectiveness of hydroxyurea. The treatment by venesection improved substantially the headaches. Oxygen inhalation was very effective in treating the CH attacks. In contrast, sumatriptan was inefficient at the very beginning of the disease. Among the pathophysiological mechanisms that we can propose to explain these cluster-like headaches are the prolonged hypoxia involving nitric oxide and calcitonin gene-related peptide release.

The impact of remission and coexisting migraine on anxiety and depression in cluster headache

Background

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between coexisting cluster headache (CH) and migraine with anxiety and depression during active cluster bouts, and how symptoms change during remission.

Methods

We analyzed data from 222 consecutive CH patients and 99 age- and sex-matched controls using a prospective multicenter registry. Anxiety or depression was evaluated using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) or Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Moderate-to-severe anxiety or depression was defined as a score of ≥10 at baseline (during a cluster bout). We assessed for changes in anxiety and depression during CH remission periods.

Results

Among the CH patients, the prevalence of moderate-to-severe anxiety and depression was seen in 38.2% and 34.6%, respectively. Compared with controls, CH patients were associated with moderate-to-severe anxiety and depression (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 7.32, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 3.35–15.99 and aOR = 4.95, 95% CI = 2.32–10.57, respectively). CH patients with migraine were significantly more likely to have moderate-to-severe anxiety and depression (aOR = 32.53, 95% CI = 6.63–159.64 and aOR = 16.88, 95% CI = 4.16–68.38, respectively), compared to controls without migraine. The GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were significantly reduced between cluster bout and remission periods (from 6.8 ± 5.6 to 1.6 ± 2.8; P < 0.001, and from 6.1 ± 5.0 to 1.8 ± 2.4; P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that CH patients are at increased risk of anxiety and depression, especially in the presence of coexisting migraine. However, the anxiety and depression can improve during remission periods.

Cluster headache in Asian populations: Similarities, disparities, and a narrative review of the mechanisms of the chronic subtype

OBJECTIVE

Headache disorders like migraine show geographic and ethnic differences between Asian and European/North American countries. In cluster headache, these differences are rarely mentioned and discussed. This article aimed to review the characteristics of cluster headache in Asian countries and compare the clinical features to those in European and North American populations.

METHODS

We conducted a narrative literature review on the demographics, clinical presentations, and treatments of cluster headache in Asian countries.

RESULTS

Patients with cluster headache in Asian populations showed a stronger male predominance compared to European and North American populations. Chronic cluster headache was rare in Asian countries. The clinical presentation of restlessness was not as common in Asian as it was in European and North American countries, and Asian patients with aura were extremely rare. Patients in Asian countries may have a lower circadian rhythmicity of cluster headache and a lower headache load, as demonstrated by lower attack frequencies per day, bout frequencies, and bout durations.

CONCLUSIONS

Regional differences in the presentation of cluster headache exist. Greater awareness for cluster headache should be raised in Asian regions, and further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms behind observed differences.

Clinical factors influencing the impact of cluster headache from a prospective multicenter study

Although many patients with cluster headaches (CH) are disabled by their condition, few studies have examined this in detail. This cross-sectional, multicenter observational study prospectively collected demographic and clinical questionnaire data from 224 consecutive patients with CH. We assessed headache impact using the six-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) and evaluated the factors associated with the impact of CH. Participants with a HIT-6 score ≥ 60 were classified into a severe impact group. The majority (190, 84.8%) of the participants were classified into the severe impact group. These patients were characterized by younger age, earlier onset of CH, longer duration of each headache attack, higher pain intensity, more cranial autonomic symptoms, a higher proportion of depression or anxiety, higher score of stress, and lower score of quality of life. The anxiety (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.08–1.31, p = 0.006), greater pain intensity (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02–1.10, p = 0.002), and age (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.99–1.00, p = 0.008) were significant predictors for a severe impact of CH patients. According to the HIT-6 results, most of the CH patients were significantly affected by CH. As well as pain intensity, anxiety and age modulated CH’s impact on their lives.

Long-term efficacy of superficial temporal artery ligation and auriculotemporal nerve transection for temporal cluster headache in adolescent

OBJECTIVES

Cluster headache is a primary headache disorder, which has affected up to 0.1% population. Superficial temporal artery ligation combined with auriculotemporal nerve transection (SLAT) is one of the surgical alternatives to treat the drug-resistant temporal cluster headache (TCH). The current work aimed to assess the effect of SLAT on TCH patients based on the very long-term clinical follow-up.

METHODS

The current retrospective study had enrolled 20 adolescent TCH patients undergoing SLAT between December 2016 and January 2018. The headache diaries as well as the pain severity questionnaire of the visual analog scale (VAS) had been collected to measure the pain severity before and after surgery.

RESULTS

The pain-free rates 3 days, as well as 1, 6, and 12 months, after SLAT surgery were 2.00%, 10.00%, 25.00%, and 70.00%, respectively. The frequency of TCH attack daily was found to be markedly reduced on the whole; besides, the pain degree was also remarkably decreased.

CONCLUSIONS

Results in this study indicate that the sustained headache can be relieved after SLAT in adolescent patients with intractable TCH.

Temporal changes of circadian rhythmicity in cluster headache

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the temporal changes of circadian rhythmicity in relation to the disease course in patients with cluster headache.

METHODS

In this multicenter study, patients with cluster headache were recruited between September 2016 and July 2018. We evaluated the patients for circadian rhythmicity and time of cluster headache attacks in the current bout and any experience of bout-to-bout change in circadian rhythmicity. We analyzed the patterns of circadian rhythmicity in relation to the disease progression (the number of total lifetime bouts, grouped into deciles).

RESULTS

Of the 175 patients in their active, within-bout period, 86 (49.1%) had circadian rhythmicity in the current bout. The prevalence of circadian rhythmicity in the active period was overall similar regardless of disease progression. Sixty-three (46.3%) out of 136 patients with ≥2 bouts reported bout-to-bout changes in circadian rhythmicity. The most frequent time of cluster headache attacks was distributed evenly throughout the day earlier in the disease course and dichotomized into hypnic and midday as the number of lifetime bouts increased (p = 0.037 for the homogeneity of variance). When grouped into nighttime and daytime, nighttime attacks were predominant early in the disease course, while daytime attacks increased with disease progression (up to 7th deciles of total lifetime bouts, p = 0.001) and decreased in patients with the most advanced disease course (p = 0.013 for the non-linear association).

CONCLUSIONS

Circadian rhythmicity is not a fixed factor, and changes according to the disease course. Our findings will be valuable in providing a new insight into the stability of functional involvement of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the pathophysiology of cluster headache.

Differences in Characteristics and Comorbidity of Cluster Headache According to the Presence of Migraine

Background and Purpose

Cluster headache (CH) can present with migrainous symptoms such as nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. In addition, an overlap between CH and migraine has been reported. This study aimed to determine the differences in the characteristics of CH according to the presence of comorbid migraine.

Methods

This study was performed using data from a prospective multicenter registry study of CH involving 16 headache clinics. CH and migraine were diagnosed by headache specialists at each hospital based on third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). We interviewed patients with comorbid migraine to obtain detailed information about migraine. The characteristics and psychological comorbidities of CH were compared between patients with and without comorbid migraine.

Results

Thirty (15.6%) of 192 patients with CH had comorbid migraine, comprising 18 with migraine without aura, 1 with migraine with aura, 3 with chronic migraine, and 8 with probable migraine. Compared to patients with CH without migraine, patients with CH with comorbid migraine had a shorter duration of CH after the first episode [5.4±7.4 vs. 9.0±8.2 years (mean±standard deviation), p=0.008], a lower frequency of episodic CH (50.0% vs. 73.5%, p=0.010), and a higher frequency of chronic CH (13.3% vs. 3.7%, p=0.033). Psychiatric comorbidities did not differ between patients with and without comorbid migraine. The headaches experienced by patients could be distinguished based on their trigeminal autonomic symptoms, pulsating character, severity, and pain location.

Conclusions

Distinct characteristics of CH remained unchanged in patients with comorbid migraine with the exception of an increased frequency of chronic CH. The most appropriate management of CH requires clinicians to check the history of preceding migraine, particularly in cases of chronic CH.