A study of symptomatic drug use in migraine without aura

We assessed the attack drugs taken by 200 migraine without aura patients (International Headache Society criteria, 1988) between 1989 and 1991. A detailed pharmacological history regarding the acute attack therapy adopted up until our initial visit was gathered, including the type of drug used, dosage, administration route, the time of starting therapy, treatment efficacy, and the frequency and types of undesirable effects, all of which were subsequently compared with the guidelines (1993) of the Italian Society for the Study of Headache (SISC). The most commonly used are non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We observed a similar high frequency in the use of combinations, particularly prophyphenazone and barbituric acid. The pirazolones, such as noramidopyrine and prophyphenazone, are also widely used as single agents, even though they are not considered by the guidelines. Our study underlines the fact that current drug use differs in several respects from the guidelines.

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Sommario Abbiamo esaminato il trattamento farmacologico dell'attacco acuto, usato da 200 pazienti sofferenti di emicrania senza aura (criteri IHS 1988), visitati nel periodo 1989–1991. È stata raccolta una dettagliata analisi farmacologica sulle terapie d'attacco usate dai pazienti nel corso della loro storia cefalalgica precedentemente alla prima visita presso il nostro ambulatorio. Sono state studiate le seguenti variabili: tipo di farmaco usato, dosaggio e via di somministrazione, efficacia del trattamento, frequenza e tipo degli effetti indesiderati; questi parametri sono stati confrontati con le linee guida della Società Italiana per lo Studio delle Cefalee (SISC, 1993). I farmaci più comunemente usati sono gli antiinfiammatori non steroidei; abbiamo osservato un analogo uso delle associazioni, in particolare propifenazone ed acido barbiturico. I pirazolonici propifenazone ed amidopirina, non consigliati nelle linee guida, sono anch'essi largamente usati. Il nostro studio evidenzia il fatto che l'utilizzo corrente dei farmaci differisce in molti aspetti da quello suggerito dalle linee guida.

     

Persistent ocular motor disturbances in migraine without aura

Abstract. Activation in the brain stem during attacks of migraine has been detected with the use of functional imaging, suggesting an important role of the brain stem in this disorder. Recent findings showed permanent cerebellar signs in common forms of migraine. Both structures are involved in generating smooth pursuit eye movements. The aim of this study was to investigate migraine patients by electrooculography to identify persisting abnormalities that may provide a clinical sign of continuous dysfunction of these structures. We investigated 25 patients with migraine without aura and 15 controls. Smooth pursuit was pathologically changed, velocity gain was reduced and phase was significantly altered in migraineurs as compared to controls. The data provide clinical evidence of a persistent dysfunction in the brain stem and certain cerebellar structures in migraine patients. This is consistent with previous studies indicating an important role of the brain stem in generating migraine attacks.     

无先兆偏头痛发作间期的静息态功能磁共振研究

目的本研究采用静息态功能磁共振(rf MRI)方法通过对比无先兆偏头痛(Mwo A)患者与健康对照的大脑自发脑活动的局部一致性(Re Ho)差异,为偏头痛的发病机制提供新的见解。方法对23例发作间期的Mwo A患者和25例性别、年龄、受教育程度相匹配的健康被试者进行临床资料的采集及rf MRI检查。应用Re Ho方法分析每个被试者大脑的相邻体素的血氧水平依赖(BOLD)信号在同一时间序列中波动的一致性,并对两组被试者的Re Ho值的脑图行统计学分析。结果与对照组Re Ho脑图相比,偏头痛组右侧丘脑、右侧壳核、右侧前额叶皮质及右侧海马的Re Ho值显著高于对照组(P0.05)。结论 Mwo A患者发作间期疼痛处理及调节与应激反应相关的脑区存在功能异常。     

Gender ratio of migraine without aura: observations over time

Abstract Migraine without aura is typically considered a female condition. The purpose of this study was to determine if there have been any changes in the female-to-male ratio of the disease over time. We included in the study all patients with migraine without aura (n=3457) referred to the Parma University Headache Centre between 1976 and 1995. They were divided into subgroups with respect to gender and year-range of onset of migraine (before 1960, in the 1960s, in the 1970s, in the 1980s, and between 1990 and 1995). Gender ratio ranged from 3.6:1 (in patients with onset before 1960) to 2.8:1 (in patients with onset in the 1980s), with no statistically significant changes during the observation period.     

无先兆偏头痛患者的经颅多普勒和皮肤交感反应的对比分析

目的探讨无先兆偏头痛(MWA)患者发作间期的脑血管血液动力学异常和自主神经功能失常。方法对48例MWA患者和36例健康人群(HC)的经颅多普勒(TCD)和皮肤交感反应(SSR)进行对比分析。结果 MWA组的TCD大脑中动脉最高平均流速(MFV-MCA)异常率和SSR异常率分别为64.6%和58.3%,与HC组相比,均具有非常显著性差异(P<0.01);MWA组的SSR主要异常表现为潜伏期延长,与HC组相比,差异具有显著性(P<0.05)。MWA组TCD的异常改变和SSR的异常具有较好的一致性(总符合率=68.7%,Kappa值=0.343,P=0.017)。结论在发作间期无先兆偏头痛患者确实存在脑血液动力学的改变和自主神经功能的异常;TCD与SSR存在一致性异常有助于鉴别无先兆偏头痛患者的发病机制和原因。     

Familial migraine with and without aura: clinical characteristics and co-occurrence

Migraine with aura (MwA) and migraine without aura (MwoA) are the two common forms of migraine. Many migraine patients suffer from both kinds of attacks. In a questionnaire-based study using the current International Headache Society (IHS) criteria we determined the clinical characteristics and occurrence of MwA + MwoA in 1000 migraine patients belonging to 210 Finnish migraine families. Nine hundred and six patients were able to indicate whether they suffered from MwA (but not MwoA), migraine aura without headache (migraine equivalent) (but not MwA) or MwA and MwoA. Of these patients, 3.2% had experienced MwoA, 11.1% MwA, 40.6% MwA + MwoA, 23.5% MwoA and 20.3% MwA-like symptoms not meeting the IHS criteria. The high prevalence of MwA attacks in the families studied supports the belief that aura has a strong hereditary component. The MwA + MwoA patients had significantly more severe attacks, more typical headache and more prodromal symptoms than the MwA and MwoA subjects. Therefore, it is possible that there is a continuum with pure MwA at the neural and pure MwoA at the headache end of the spectrum, and MwA + MwoA lying in between the two. The MwA + MwoA patients would thus be liable to both types of migraine, making their attacks more characteristic and more severe. This would also explain why the co-occurrence of MwA and MwoA is more common in the clinic compared with population based epidemiological studies. These findings have consequences for future research on liability genes for migraine.     

无先兆偏头痛患者大脑结构和功能异常的MRI研究

目的研究无先兆偏头痛患者大脑结构和功能异常的MRI表现。方法选取30例无先兆偏头痛患者作为观察组,同期25例健康志愿者作为对照组。Signa Excite 3.0 T磁共振扫描仪,采用平面回波成像序列采集对象静息态功能MRI图像,采用单次激发回波平面成像序列采集脑白质DTI图像。采用肯德尔系数评估静息态局部一致性,采用基于纤维束追踪空间统计分析技术(TBSS)分析脑白质纤维的分数各项异性(FA)、平行弥散系数(RD)、轴向弥散系数(AD)、以及平均弥散系数(MD)。结果与对照组比较,观察组患者多个脑区存在局部一致性降低,包括左侧前后扣带回、左侧颞下回、左侧梭状回、右侧中央前后回、右侧额中回、右侧舌回局部一致性减弱(FEW校正,P0.05)。观察组患者双侧大脑脚、双侧内囊后肢、右侧内囊前肢、右侧上纵束、右侧胼胝体体部和压部、右侧上放射冠和后放射冠、左侧扣带的FA值显著降低(FEW校正,P0.05);双侧上放射冠和后放射冠、双侧扣带、双侧丘脑后辐射、双侧上纵束、右侧大脑脚、右侧内囊前后肢以及右侧胼胝体体部和压部的RD值显著升高(FEW校正,P0.05);胼胝体体部和压部,右侧上放射冠和后放射冠,以及右侧上纵束的MD值显著升高(FEW校正,P0.05);两组各脑区的AD值无显著性差异(FEW校正,P0.05)。结论无先兆偏头痛患者大脑静息态局部一致性和脑白质纤维束存在改变,且明显区别于健康志愿者。     

Abnormal visual processing in migraine with aura: a study of steady-state visual evoked potentials

BACKGROUND: Although a number of studies reported different interictal findings between migraine with aura (MA) and migraine without aura (MO), the pathophysiology of the visual aura in migraine remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the visual processing in patients who experience MA between attacks using steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs). METHODS: SSVEPs to high (98%) and low (29%) contrast black and white checkerboard gratings with two spatial frequencies (0.5 and 2.0 cpd) at 5 and 10 Hz (10 and 20 reversal/s) were recorded binocularly from 10 patients with MA, 10 patients with MO between attacks and 20 healthy controls (HC). The SSVEPs were Fourier analyzed to obtain the amplitude and phase of the second (2F) and fourth (4F) harmonic response. RESULTS: In the amplitude of 2F, at 0.5 cpd, there was significant increased amplitude in both MA and MO in comparison to HC at 5 Hz in high and low contrast. However, no significant differences were detected at 2.0 cpd in both 5 and 10 Hz in high and low contrast. In the amplitude of 4F, at 2.0 cpd, there was significant increased amplitude in MA in comparison to MO and HC at 10 Hz in high contrast. However, there were no significant differences at 0.5 cpd at both 5 and 10 Hz in high and low contrast. There were no significant phase differences between MA, MO, and HC. CONCLUSION: The high amplitude of the SSVEPs suggests that interictally migraine patients have abnormal excitability in the primary visual cortex, and this change in excitability may exist, at least partially, in the visual association cortex in MA.     

天容穴治疗偏头痛前后脑动脉血流速度和脑电地形图对称性变化的研究

目的 :探讨天容穴治疗无先兆偏头痛 (MWO)的神经生理机制。方法 :36例 MWO病人发作期和天容穴注射 12 .5 mg强地松龙后 30分钟 ,观察脑动脉平均血流速度 (MFV)和脑电地形图 (BEAM)对称性的变化。结果 :MFV下降占 5 2 .77%(19/36 ) ,增加占 2 5 %(9/36 ) ,不对称改变占 6 9.44 %(2 5 /36 )。不对称的脑血流速度天容穴治疗 30分钟后转化为正常 (P<0 .0 1) ,但不能影响脑电地形图的不对称性。平均血流速度和脑电地形图的不对称性没有一致对应关系 (P>0 .0 5 )。结论 :天容穴治疗 MWO可以双相调节脑动脉血流速度和脑功能。     

TCD发泡试验对西宁地区无先兆性偏头痛与右向左分流的相关性研究

目的 探究经颅多普勒(TCD)发泡试验对地处中高海拔的西宁地区无先兆性偏头痛患者右向左分流(RLS)发生率的检测作用.方法 选取2018年11月至2020年7月西宁市第一人民医院收治的偏头痛患者273例(观察组),同期健康体检者200例(对照组),均进行TCD发泡试验,观察RLS的发生率.结果 观察组RLS阳性107例...     

有先兆偏头痛发作间期的静息态功能磁共振研究

目的本研究采用静息态功能磁共振(rfMRI)技术描述有先兆偏头痛(MA)患者大脑自发脑活动的局部一致性(ReHo)的改变,为MA的发病机制提供新的见解。方法收集12例发作间期的MA患者和15例性别、年龄、受教育程度相匹配的健康被试,并进行临床资料的采集及rfMRI检查。计算每个被试大脑相邻体素的ReHo值,并对两组被试的ReHo值脑图行统计学分析。结果与对照组ReHo脑图相比,偏头痛组右侧丘脑、右侧壳核、右侧小脑、脑干的ReHo值显著降低,而右侧枕叶的ReHo值显著增高(P0.05)。结论MA患者发作间期疼痛处理及调节相关的脑区功能异常,中枢敏化作用及皮质高反应性在MA发病机制中可能占有重要作用。     

Genetic Contribution of Catechol-O-methyltransferase Polymorphism in Patients with Migraine without Aura

Background

Recent genetic association studies have investigated the possible genetic role of the dopaminergic system in migraine. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of dopamine and its genetic polymorphism is associated with three- to fourfold variation of enzymatic activity.

Objectives

The objective of this study was to elucidate the role of the COMT polymorphism in the genetic susceptibility to migraine and its phenotypic expression in patients with migraine without aura (MWOA).

Methods

Ninety-seven patients with MWOA and 94 healthy volunteers were included in the study. After amplifying COMT genes by the polymerase chain reaction, we assessed their genotype frequencies and allele distributions by based on restriction fragment length polymorphisms. We classified all MWOA patients into two groups according to their COMT genotype: with the L allele (N = 43), and without this allele (N = 54).

Results

The genotype frequency and allele distribution of the COMT polymorphism did not differ between MWOA patients and the control group. During migraine attacks, MWOA patients with the L allele showed a higher pain intensity of headache (P = 0.001) and a higher incidence of the accompanying nausea/vomiting (94% vs 75%; P = 0.026) compared with MWOA patients without the L allele.

Conclusions

Although the COMT polymorphism does not appear to be involved in predisposition to the development of MWOA, this genetic factor could be involved in the phenotypic expression of MWOA.     

Secretion of low molecular peptides in the extracellular space of the brain olfactory cortex during anoxia

Using the HPLC technique, we studied the composition of low molecular weight peptides that were secreted from slices of the rat olfactory cortex during their incubation under anoxic conditions. We revealed that kyotorphin-like peptides appeared in the medium, and their composition depended on the anoxia severity and incubation time.     

Mitral valve prolapse and abnormalities of haemostasis in children and adolescents with migraine with aura and other idiopathic headaches: a pilot study

Termine C, Trotti R, Ondei P, Gamba G, Montani N, Gamba A, De Simone M, Marni E, Balottin U. Mitral valve prolapse and abnormalities of haemostasis in children and adolescents with migraine with aura and other idiopathic headaches: a pilot study.
Acta Neurol Scand: 2010: 122: 91–96.
© 2009 The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard. Objective – To investigate the prevalence of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and abnormalities of haemostasis in children and adolescents with migraine with aura (MA) compared with peers affected by other idiopathic headaches. Materials and methods – We recruited 20 MA patients (10 men and 10 women; age range 8–17 years) and 20 sex‐ and age‐matched subjects with other idiopathic headaches. Both groups underwent colour Doppler transthoracic echocardiography to detect MVP and the following laboratory work‐up: plasma prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen, protein C, protein S, homocysteine, lupus anticoagulant, von Willebrand factor (vWF) ristocetin cofactor activity, immunoglobulins (Ig) G and M anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL). Factor V Leiden, factor II and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase were investigated (we did not test the entire genes, but screened for specific point mutations). Results – The prevalence of MVP was significantly higher in the MA subjects than in the patients affected by other idiopathic headaches (40% vs 10%; P < 0.05). Moreover, the MA patients showed a higher rate of above‐normal IgM aCL titres (45% vs 10%; P < 0.05). Finally, in the group of patients with MVP we found a higher prevalence of aCL in those with MA compared with those affected by other idiopathic headaches. Conclusions – A proportion, at least, of the MA patients showed a more complex phenotype characterized by MVP and/or positive aCL titres. The pathogenetic role of these associations is obscure and larger studies are needed to confirm the usefulness of echocardiographic and laboratory investigations in this area and to identify possible new treatment approaches that might be explored in this group of MA patients.     

Comparison of cortical excitability in chronic migraine (transformed migraine) and migraine without aura. A transcranial magnetic stimulation study

We studied the excitability of the motor cortex in patients with migraine without aura (MWOA) (n = 20) and with chronic migraine (CM) (n = 20) using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). By using a 90-mm circular coil placed over the vertex and recording of the first dorsal interosseous muscle, we measured thresholds, latencies and amplitudes of motor evoked potentials and duration of cortical silent periods in patient groups and in controls (n = 20). No differences were found between groups for threshold, latency and amplitude values. However, the duration of the cortical silent period was longer in CM patients, being significantly different from both controls and MWOA. We suggest that either this difference in cortical excitability may develop during transformation from MWOA to CM or different pathophysiological mechanisms may play a role in these two headache syndromes. Received: 28 December 2001, Received in revised form: 19 March 2002, Accepted: 21 March 2002     

Association of “top of the basilar” syndrome with megadolichobasilar artery. Clinical and neuroimaging evaluation

We describe the case of a patient with a history of trigeminal neuralgia who suddenly developed the “top of the basilar” syndrome. MRI disclosed ischemic lesions in the left paramedian mesencephalic tectum, in the left ventral thalamus, in the left occipital lobe and a megadolichobasilar artery (MDBA). The association of MDBA with the top of the basilar syndrome is rarely reported. We discuss the possible hemodynamic mechanism producing a top of the basilar syndrome in the presence of MDBA.

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Sommario Viene descritto il caso di un paziente, con una storia di nevralgia trigeminale, che ha improvvisamente presentato una “top of the basilar syndrome”. La RMN rilevava lesioni ischemiche a livello del tetto del mesencefalo in sede paramediana sinistra, nel talamo ventrale sinistro, nel lobo occipitale sinistro e la presenza di una megadolicobasilare. L'associazione di una megadolicobasilare con una “top of the basilar syndrome” è rara in letteratura. Gli autori discutono il possibile meccanismo emodinamico che può aver prodotto la sindrome in presenza di una anomala megadolicobasilare.

     

Incidence of post-lumbar puncture syndrome reduced by reinserting the stylet: a randomized prospective study of 600 patients

The post-lumbar puncture syndrome (PLPS) can best be explained by prolonged spinal fluid leakage owing to delayed closure of a dural defect. Its incidence after spinal anaesthesia is much lower than after diagnostic lumbar puncture (LP). This difference could be caused by a strand of arachnoid, which might enter the needle with the outflowing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during diagnostic LP and upon removal of the needle be threaded back through the dura to produce prolonged CSF leakage. To find a technique that further reduces the incidence of PLPS, this hypothesis was tested by evaluating the effect that reinserting the stylet before removing the needle had on the incidence of PLPS. By reinserting the stylet to the tip of the needle, the hypothesized strand would be pushed out, thereby reducing the frequency of PLPS. Sprotte’s “atraumatic needle” (21 gauge) was used for LP. A total of 600 patients participated in the prospective study. They were randomized into two groups and questioned about their complaints every day for up to 7 days after the LP. All LPs were performed by two experienced neurologists (T.B., M.S.). In 300 patients, the stylet was reinserted to the tip of the needle; in the other 300 it was not reinserted. Whereas 49 of the 300 patients without reinsertion developed PLPS, only 15 of the 300 patients with reinsertion did. This significant difference (16.3 vs 5.0%, P < 0.005, chi square test) supports our hypothesis. On the basis of our results, we recommend reinserting the stylet before removing the needle in order to reduce the incidence of PLPS. Received: 30 September 1997 Received in revised form: 9 March 1998 Accepted: 20 March 1998