Occipital Nerve Stimulation for Pain Modulation in Drug-Resistant Chronic Cluster Headache.

Occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) is a surgical treatment proposed for drug-resistant chronic cluster headache (drCCH). Long-term series assessing its efficacy are scarce. We designed a retrospective observational study with consecutive sampling, evaluating the follow-up of 17 drCCH patients who underwent ONS. Our main endpoint was the reduction the rate of attacks per week. We also evaluated the pain intensity through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), patient overall perceived improvement and decrease in oral medication intake. After a median follow-up of 6.0 years (4.5-9.0), patients decreased from a median of 30 weekly attacks to 22.5 (5.6-37.5, p = 0.012), 7.5 at 1 year (p = 0.006) and 15.0 at the end of follow-up (p = 0.041). The VAS decreased from a median of 10.0 to 8.0 (p = 0.011) at three months, to 7.0 (p = 0.008) at twelve months and 7.0 (p = 0.003) at the end of the follow-up. A total of 23.5% had an overall perceived improvement of ≥70% at 3 months, 41.2% at 1 year and 27.8% at the end of follow-up. Reducing prophylactic oral medication was possible in 76.5% and it was stopped in 17.7%. Triptan use decreased in all the responder patients and 17.7% stopped its intake. A total of 41.2% presented mild adverse events. In conclusion, our long-term experience suggests that ONS could be an interesting option for drCCH-selected patients, as it is a beneficial and minimally invasive procedure with no serious adverse events.

Comparison Between Chronic Migraine and Temporomandibular Disorders in Pain-Related Disability and Fear-Avoidance Behaviors.

OBJECTIVE: To compare patients with chronic migraine (CM) and chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD) on disability, pain, and fear avoidance factors and to associate these variables within groups. DESIGN: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: A neurology department and a temporomandibular disorders consult in a tertiary care center. SUBJECTS: A total of 50 patients with CM and 51 patients with chronic TMD, classified by international criteria classifications. METHODS: The variables evaluated included pain intensity (visual analog scale [VAS]), neck disability (NDI), craniofacial pain and disability (CF-PDI), headache impact (HIT-6), pain catastrophizing (PCS), and kinesiophobia (TSK-11). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found between the CM group and the chronic TMD group in CF-PDI (P < 0.001), PCS (P = 0.03), and HIT-6 (P < 0.001); however, there were no differences between the CM group and the VAS, NDI, and TSK-11 groups (P > 0.05). For the chronic TMD group, the combination of NDI and TSK-11 was a significant covariate model of CF-PDI (adjusted R2 = 0.34). In the CM group, the regression model showed that NDI was a significant predictive factor for HIT-6 (adjusted R2 = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Differences between the CM group and the chronic TMD group were found in craniofacial pain and disability, pain catastrophizing, and headache impact, but they were similar for pain intensity, neck disability, and kinesiophobia. Neck disability and kinesiophobia were covariates of craniofacial pain and disability (34% of variance) for chronic TMD. In the CM group, neck disability was a predictive factor for headache impact (19.3% of variance).

Occipital Condyle Syndrome: A Red Flag for Malignancy. Comprehensive Literature Review and New Case Report.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a literature review of the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and clinical course of occipital condyle syndrome, including a new case report. BACKGROUND: Occipital condyle syndrome (OCS) is a rare clinical syndrome, consisting of unilateral occipital headache accompanied by ipsilateral hypoglossal palsy. This headache typically radiates to the temporal region, and is triggered by contralateral head rotation. It is usually associated with skull base metastasis, often unrevealed in basic neuroimaging studies. OCS might be the first manifestation of malignancy, and its unfamiliarity can lead to a delay in the diagnosis. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review using PubMed and Embase for OCS, along with a new case report. RESULTS: A total of 35 cases (mean age 59 years, range 25-77), 24 (70%) men, presented typical unilateral headache followed by ipsilateral hypoglossal palsy from 0 to 150 days after headache presentation. In 16 patients (46%), initial neuroimaging studies were normal. OCS was due to skull base metastasis in 32 cases (91%). In 18 patients (51%), OCS was the first symptom of disease. CONCLUSIONS: OCS represents a warning sign and requires an exhaustive search for underlying neoplasm. An appropriate clinical evaluation can lead to an earlier diagnosis in patients with consistent headache.

Psychosocial and Somatosensory Factors in Women with Chronic Migraine and Painful Temporomandibular Disorders.

Introduction. Psychosocial and somatosensory factors are involved in the pathophysiology of chronic migraine (CM) and chronic temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Objective. To compare and assess the relationship between pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia in patients with CM or chronic TMD. Method. Cross-sectional study of 20 women with CM, 19 with chronic TMD, and 20 healthy volunteers. Pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia were assessed. The level of education, pain intensity, and magnitude of temporal summation of stimuli in the masseter (STM) and tibialis (STT) muscles were also evaluated. Results. There were significant differences between the CM and chronic TMD groups, compared with the group of asymptomatic subjects, for all variables (p < .05) except kinesiophobia when comparing patients with CM and healthy women. Moderate correlations between kinesiophobia and catastrophizing (r = 0.46; p < .01) were obtained, and the strongest association was between kinesiophobia and magnification (r = 0.52; p < .01). The strongest associations among physical variables were found between the STM on both sides (r = 0.93; p < .01) and between the left and right STT (r = 0.76; p < .01). Conclusion. No differences were observed in pain catastrophizing and kinesiophobia between women with CM and with chronic TMD. Women with CM or chronic TMD showed higher levels of pain catastrophizing than asymptomatic subjects.

Effect of anticoagulation on cardioembolic stroke severity, outcomes and response to intravenous thrombolysis.

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of anticoagulation on cardioembolic stroke (CS) severity, outcomes, and response to intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). Observational study of CS patients admitted to a Stroke Center (2010-2013). The sample was classified into three groups based on pre-stroke oral anticoagulants (OAC) treatment (all acenocumarol) and the international normalized ratio (INR) on admission: (1) non-anticoagulated or anticoagulated patients with INR <1.5, (2) anticoagulated with INR 1.5-1.9 and (3) anticoagulated with INR ≥2. We compared demographic data, vascular risk factors, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, severity on admission (NIHSS) and 3 month outcomes (mRS). Overall 475 patients were included, 47.2 % male, mean age 75.5 (SD 10.7) years old, 31.8 % were on OAC. 76 % belonged to the INR <1.5 group, 13.3 % to the INR 1.5-1.9 and 10.5 % to the INR >2. 35 %of patients received IVT. Multivariate analyses showed that an INR ≥2 on admission was a factor associated with a higher probability of mild stroke (NIHSS <10) (OR 2.026, 95 % CI 1.006-4.082). Previous OAC in general (OR 2.109, 95 % CI 1.173-3.789) as well as INR 1.5-1.9 (OR 3.676, 95 % CI 1.510-8.946) were associated with favorable outcomes (mRS ≤2). OAC was not related to stroke outcomes in the subgroup of IVT patients. Therapeutic OAC levels are associated with lesser CS severity, and prior OAC treatment with favorable outcomes. In this study, OAC are not related with response to IVT.

Is diabetes an independent risk factor for in-hospital complications after a stroke? ？.

BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more likely to develop in-hospital complications (IHCs) than patients without DM. In addition, they have poorer outcomes after an ischemic stroke (IS). Our goal was to evaluate whether the increase in risk for the development of IHCs in patients with IS is due to DM per se, to poor metabolic control of the DM or to glucose levels on admission. METHODS: An observational study that included 1137 consecutive IS patients admitted to a stroke unit. Demographic data, vascular risk factors, stroke severity, on-admission glycemia and IHC were compared between patients with and without DM. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with IHCs. RESULTS: Of all included patients, 283 (24.8%) had a previous diagnosis of DM. These patients were older and had higher comorbidity, with no differences in stroke severity. They presented on-admission glycemia ≥155 mg/dL more often and suffered IHCs more frequently (24% versus 17.7%, P = 0.034). However, after adjusting for baseline differences, DM was not associated with the development of any IHC, whereas on-admission glycemia ≥155 mg/dL (odds ratio: 1.959; 95% CI 1.276-3.009; P = 0.002) and stroke severity (odds ratio: 1.141; 95% CI 1.109-1.173; P < 0.001) were the primary predictors of the development of IHCs. CONCLUSIONS: Although IS patients with DM more often suffered IHCs, previous diagnosis of DM is not per se associated with the risk of IHCs. Stroke severity and on-admission glycemia ≥155 mg/dL were the most significant predictors for the development of IHCs.

Acute ischemic stroke patients with diabetes should not be excluded from intravenous thrombolysis.

The benefit of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) has been questioned for patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in cases of acute ischemic stroke (IS). Our objective was to analyze the differences in outcome according to prior diagnosis of DM and the use or not of IVT. Observational study with inclusion of consecutive IS patients admitted to an stroke unit. Demographic data, vascular risk factors, comorbidity, stroke severity and 3-month follow-up outcome (modified Rankin Scale) were compared according to prior diagnosis of DM and the use or not of IVT. A total of 1,139 IS patients were admitted; 283 (24.8%) patients had a diagnosis of DM, and 261 were IVT treated (23.2% of the group without DM and 21.9% of the DM group). The IVT-treated patients with DM were older, had more comorbidities and had higher glucose levels on admission than those without DM and than IVT-treated patients. No significant differences in stroke severity, hemorrhagic transformation, in-hospital mortality or outcome at 3 months were found. The logistic regression analysis showed that stroke severity was associated with a higher risk of a poor outcome in IVT-treated patients, with no significant effect from DM after adjustment for confounders. Moreover, IVT was independently associated with a lower risk of poor outcome in DM patients (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.31-0.76; P = .002). DM patients should not be excluded from IVT, because DM is not associated with a poor outcome after IVT and this treatment is clearly beneficial for DM patients as compared with DM patients not treated with IVT.

Craniofacial pain and disability inventory (CF-PDI): development and psychometric validation of a new questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Orofacial pain, headaches, and neck pain are very common pain conditions in the general population and might be associated in their pathophysiology, although this is not yet clarified. The development and validation of a prediction inventory is important to minimize risks. Most recent questionnaires have not focused on pain, but pain is the common symptom in temporomandibular disorders, headaches, and neck pain. It is necessary to provide tools for these conditions. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to present the development and analysis of the factorial structure and psychometric properties of a new self-administered questionnaire (Craniofacial Pain and Disability Inventory [CF-PDI]) designed to measure pain, disability, and functional status of the mandibular and craniofacial regions. STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive survey design. A secondary analysis of the reliability of the measures was a longitudinal, observational study. SETTING: A convenience sample was recruited from a hospital and 2 specialty clinics in Madrid, Spain. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 192 heterogeneous chronic craniofacial pain patients. A sub-sample of 106 patients was asked to answer the questionnaire a second time, to assess the test-retest reliability. The development and validation of the CF-PDI were conducted using the standard methodology, which included item development, cognitive debriefing, and psychometric validation. The questionnaire was assessed for the following psychometric properties: internal consistency (Cronbach's α); floor and ceiling effects; test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient [ICC]; Bland and Altman method); construct validity (exploratory factor analysis); responsiveness (standard error of measurement [SEM] and minimal detectable change [MDC]); and convergent validity (Pearson correlation coefficient), by comparing visual analog scale (VAS), the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK-11), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the strength of the associations with theoretically similar constructs. RESULTS: The final version of the CF-PDI consists of 21 items. Exploratory factor analysis revealed 2 factors ("pain and disability" and "jaw functional status"), both with an eigenvalue greater than one, explaining 44.77% of the variance. Floor or ceiling effects were not observed. High internal consistency of the CF-PDI (Cronbach's α: 0.88) and also of the 2 subscales (Cronbach's α: 0.80 - 0.86) was confirmed. ICC was found to be 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.86 - 0.93), which was considered to be excellent test-retest reliability. The SEM and MDC were 2.4 and 7 points, respectively. The total CF-PDI score showed a moderate correlation with most of the assessed questionnaires (r = 0.36 - 0.52) and a strong correlation with the NDI (r = 0.65; P < 0.001). The NDI, VAS, and TSK-11 were predictors of CF-PDI. LIMITATIONS: Only self-reported measures were considered for convergent validity. Future research should use physical tests to explore the clinical signs relating to pain and disability. CONCLUSION: The CF-PDI showed good psychometric properties. Based on the findings of this study, the CF-PDI can be used in research and clinical practice for the assessment of patients with craniofacial pain.