Abstract
Corticosteroids appear to be the most rapid-acting of the prophylactic drugs used in the treatment of cluster headache (CH). These agents are frequently employed as a short-term regimen to induce clinical remission. In this study, we assessed in an open fashion the effect of high dose methylprednisolone (MPD) in a group of 13 patients with episodic CH (3 females and 10 males). On the 8th day of the active period, MPD was administered intravenously at the dose of 30 mg/kg body weight, as a 3-h infusion in saline. The attack frequency was followed for 7 days. The mean daily attack frequency before MPD administration was statistically different from that reported after treatment (respectively: 1.38 ± 0.42 and 0.83 ± 0.78; P = 0.05 Student's t-test). The mean interval between MPD administration and the occurrence of the first subsequent attack was 3.8 ± 2.2 days (range: 2-7 days). Only 3 (23%) of 13 patients experienced a complete headache remission. No significant side-effects were noted after MPD administration. These data further demonstrate that in most patients with episodic CH, high-dose systemic steroid administration may invariably interrupt attack recurrence for a few days, but is ineffective in maintaining complete clinical remission. This study also sugests that MPD administered as a solitary dose does not provide any advantage above prednisone in CH treatment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 290-295 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Cephalalgia |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2005 |
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Keywords
- Cluster headache
- Steroid therapy
- Symptomatic treatment
- Transitional prophylaxis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
Cite this
Single high-dose steroid treatment in episodic cluster headache. / Antonaci, F.; Costa, A.; Candeloro, E.; Sjaastad, O.; Nappi, G.
In: Cephalalgia, Vol. 25, No. 4, 04.2005, p. 290-295.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Single high-dose steroid treatment in episodic cluster headache
AU - Antonaci, F.
AU - Costa, A.
AU - Candeloro, E.
AU - Sjaastad, O.
AU - Nappi, G.
PY - 2005/4
Y1 - 2005/4
N2 - Corticosteroids appear to be the most rapid-acting of the prophylactic drugs used in the treatment of cluster headache (CH). These agents are frequently employed as a short-term regimen to induce clinical remission. In this study, we assessed in an open fashion the effect of high dose methylprednisolone (MPD) in a group of 13 patients with episodic CH (3 females and 10 males). On the 8th day of the active period, MPD was administered intravenously at the dose of 30 mg/kg body weight, as a 3-h infusion in saline. The attack frequency was followed for 7 days. The mean daily attack frequency before MPD administration was statistically different from that reported after treatment (respectively: 1.38 ± 0.42 and 0.83 ± 0.78; P = 0.05 Student's t-test). The mean interval between MPD administration and the occurrence of the first subsequent attack was 3.8 ± 2.2 days (range: 2-7 days). Only 3 (23%) of 13 patients experienced a complete headache remission. No significant side-effects were noted after MPD administration. These data further demonstrate that in most patients with episodic CH, high-dose systemic steroid administration may invariably interrupt attack recurrence for a few days, but is ineffective in maintaining complete clinical remission. This study also sugests that MPD administered as a solitary dose does not provide any advantage above prednisone in CH treatment.
AB - Corticosteroids appear to be the most rapid-acting of the prophylactic drugs used in the treatment of cluster headache (CH). These agents are frequently employed as a short-term regimen to induce clinical remission. In this study, we assessed in an open fashion the effect of high dose methylprednisolone (MPD) in a group of 13 patients with episodic CH (3 females and 10 males). On the 8th day of the active period, MPD was administered intravenously at the dose of 30 mg/kg body weight, as a 3-h infusion in saline. The attack frequency was followed for 7 days. The mean daily attack frequency before MPD administration was statistically different from that reported after treatment (respectively: 1.38 ± 0.42 and 0.83 ± 0.78; P = 0.05 Student's t-test). The mean interval between MPD administration and the occurrence of the first subsequent attack was 3.8 ± 2.2 days (range: 2-7 days). Only 3 (23%) of 13 patients experienced a complete headache remission. No significant side-effects were noted after MPD administration. These data further demonstrate that in most patients with episodic CH, high-dose systemic steroid administration may invariably interrupt attack recurrence for a few days, but is ineffective in maintaining complete clinical remission. This study also sugests that MPD administered as a solitary dose does not provide any advantage above prednisone in CH treatment.
KW - Cluster headache
KW - Steroid therapy
KW - Symptomatic treatment
KW - Transitional prophylaxis
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=15944412869&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=15944412869&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00855.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00855.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 15773826
AN - SCOPUS:15944412869
VL - 25
SP - 290
EP - 295
JO - Cephalalgia
JF - Cephalalgia
SN - 0333-1024
IS - 4
ER -