Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure and Venous Pressure in "Dynamite Headache" and Cluster Headache Attacks

Six patients with episodic cluster headache were investigated as to blood pressure, heart rate, cerebrospinal fluid pressure (Pcsf) and frontal vein pressure (Pvf) during five nitroglycerin (NG) provoked attacks and one spontaneous attack. In a seventh studied patient the NG failed to provoke an attack. The earlier reported decrease of systolic blood pressure and increase of diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after NG administration were also found in these patients. The "dynamite headache" was related to the start and duration of an increase of the cerebrospinal fluid pressure. There was no relationship between the start or the maximum pain of the cluster headache attack and changes in Pcsf or Pvf. On breathing oxygen during a cluster headache attack, there was a decrease of Pcsf but in some patients a temporary increase of Pvf was observed, which possibly indicates that oxygen simultaneously attains constriction of arteries and veins.     

Short-lasting, Unilateral, Neuralgiform Headache Attacks with Conjunctival Injection and Tearing (SUNCT Syndrome): IV. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia during and outside paroxysms

SUNCT is a headache syndrome characterized by short-lasting (usually 15-120 sec), unilateral head pain paroxysms localized in the peri-ocular area, accompanied by conjunctival injection, lacrimation, nasal stuffiness, rhinorrhea, and subclinical forehead sweating, all on the symptomatic side. A relative bradycardia seems to be an integral part of the paroxysm; a parasympathetic stimulation could theoretically be the causative factor for the bradycardia. In 3 SUNCT patients, vagal nerve function (E:I ratio) has been monitored outside and during pain paroxysms, while 3 other patients could be studied in the attack-free period only. E:I ratio is obtainable in the course of a maximally deep breath and represents the ratio of the longest R-R interval during a 5 sec long expiration to the shortest R-R interval during a 5 sec long expiration. The mean E:I ratio of SUNCT patients outside paroxysms was significantly higher than the mean E:I ratio in an aged-matched control group. The E:I ratio was, however, significantly decreased during paroxysms in comparison with ratios obtained outside the pain paroxysms. After 0.6 mg atropine administration s.c. to one of the patients in the symptomatic phase, the heart rate increased, and the relative bradycardia during headache paroxysm was diminished (but not completely abolished). The E:I ratio was lowered but it was still slightly larger outside than during attacks. The reason for the abrupt and seemingly clear attack-related decrement in E:I ratio together with the previously described relative bradycardia remains enigmatic, however the possibility of increased parasympathetic tone cannot be excluded.     

Cluster headache: Heart rate and blood pressure changes during spontaneous attacks

The ECG findings before, during and following 81 spontaneous attacks of cluster headache in 24 patients have been recorded using a Holter cardiography system. No significant change in mean heart rate was found during attacks, when all attacks were considered as a group. Attacks which began when patients were awake differed from those which began during sleep as regards changes in mean heart rate. The mean heart rate decreased during the majority (61%) of attacks which began when patients were awake, whereas it remained unchanged or increased during the majority (67.5%) of attacks which began during sleep. The attacks which began when patients were awake also had higher absolute mean heart rate values before, during and following attacks compared to similar values for those attacks which began during sleep. Blood pressure was measured during 11 attacks and showed a significant increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The heart rate and blood pressure in six patients usually increased during induced head pain.     

Cluster headache: alterations in heart rate, blood pressure and orthostatic responses during spontaneous attacks

Changes in heart rate and blood pressure (BP) have been monitored beat-to-beat in a cluster headache patient with and without attacks using a non-invasive Doppler servo method. Two attacks were monitored and during one of them a tilt test was carried out. The variability of heart rate and BP was greater during the attack than during the interparoxysmal period. A marked bradycardia occurred during attacks. Systolic BP increased slightly. There was no heart rate increase after tilting during the attack, whereas this was present invariably during tests carried out interparoxysmally. BP changes during "attack tilt" were difficult to evaluate because of large variation. This may be the first observation of a baroreflex arc dysfunction during a cluster headache attack.     

SUNCT Syndrome: VII. Ocular and Related Variables.

SUNCT is a unilateral headache syndrome with shortlasting attacks, accompanied by e.g. conjunctival injection and lacrimation on the painful side. Intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal indentation pulse (CIP) amplitudes, episcleral venous pressure, and corneal, tympanic, and facial temperature have been studied in 6 SUNCT patients. IOP and CIP amplitudes increased on the painful side during headache paroxysms, while episcleral venous pressure remained unchanged. Corneal temperature seemed to increase during attack on both sides. However, the number of observations during attacks is scanty. Outside of attacks, the corneal temperature on the symptomatic side seemed to be higher when compared with the non-symptomatic side (generally > or = 0.5 degrees C), provided that the attack frequency was high. The facial temperature seemed to be even on both sides or slightly higher on the symptomatic than on the non-symptomatic side in the periocular area. This pattern seems to be different from the one in trigeminal neuralgia, in which the temperature has been reported to be lowest on the painful side of the face. During attacks, there seemed to be a tendency for the temperature to increase in the periocular area, but not over the mandible or in the neck. The results obtained could be caused by increased blood supply to the eye (and the surrounding skin) on the symptomatic side because of vasodilatation during repeated pain attacks. As far as the ocular changes are concerned, probably the arteriolar side of the vascular bed is involved.     

Cluster Headache: Cardiovascular Responses to Head-up Tilt

Head-up tilt tests were performed in six cluster headache patients in a bout of attacks, but in a pain-free interval at the time of investigation; and in eleven controls matched for age, basal blood pressure, and heart rate. A Doppler servomethod was used for a noninvasive, beat-to-beat blood pressure determination. There were no significant differences between the cluster headache and control groups for heart rate and systolic blood pressure response to the head-up tilt. However, the average diastolic blood pressure seemed to drop more after the tilt in the cluster headache group than in the control group; in particular, in the later part of the test. This might suggest a dysfunction of the baroreflex in cluster headache patients in a bout, also outside of attacks, and most probably of the sympathetically-mediated vasomotor response.     

Cardiovascular autonomic function tests in cluster headache

While facial autonomic signs are prominent during cluster headache (CH) attacks, cardiovascular autonomic changes have been described in few CH patients. Cardiovascular autonomic function tests (AFT) can be used to assess general autonomic function in CH patients in different stages of the disease. We aimed to assess whether general autonomic function is changed in CH patients during a cluster period. AFT was performed both during a cluster period, but outside an actual attack, and outside a cluster period in 18 patients. Heart rate variability was studied at rest, during deep breathing, after standing up and during a Valsalva manoeuvre. Blood pressure (BP) changes were recorded at rest, during standing up and during sustained handgrip. Measurements during and outside the cluster period were compared using the paired t-test. AFT measurements revealed no significant differences between the two measurements, except for diastolic BP in rest, which was higher during the cluster period [80.3 (SD 12.2) vs. 74.8 (SD 9.0), P = 0.04]. Autonomic dysfunction during a cluster period, but outside an attack, does not include systemic cardiovascular control.     

Blood Pressure Changes in Migraine Patients before,during and after Migraine Attacks

Migraine attacks are characterized by headaches associated with neurological, gastrointestinal, and autonomic symptoms. A relationship between migraine and hypertension or hypotension is controversial. In this study, we aimed to determine if blood pressure changes were related to migraine attacks. From the outpatient clinic of our neurology department, 62 normotensive migraine patients with and without aura were chosen for study in accordance with the International Headache Society 2004 criteria. A questionnaire including general and specific questions was given to the patients to be filled out during 6 consequent migraine attacks. The patients received a fully automatic digital brachial upper arm sphygmomanometer (Omron M 4‐1) to measure the changes in their blood pressure during attacks. The patients were asked to record their blood pressure changes 3 times: (1) just before or very early, (2) during (when headache peaks), and (3) 1 hour after the attack. Twenty‐three of the 62 patients (57 women, 5 men) had migraine with aura (22 women and 1 man), and 39 of them did not have aura (35 women and 4 men). There was no statistically significant difference between systolic and diastolic values obtained before or very early, during the peak level, and 1 hour after the end of the attacks (P > 0.05). Although diastolic hypotensive values were not different statistically between groups, when all the patients were considered, diastolic hypotensive values were detected in a considerable number of patients (a total of 115 measurements). In this normotensive migrainous population, we observed that diastolic hypotension before or very early, during, and after migraine attack was the most significant result (5.1%). Although it was not statistically significant, the total number of hypotensive values was remarkable.     

Facial temperature in migraine, tension-vascular and tension headache

The relationship between clinical features and changes in the extracranial circulation was studied during 209 separate attacks of headache affecting the anterior part of the head. Extracranial vascular changes were assessed thermographically and by the change in headache intensity when pressure was applied over the superficial temporal and common carotid arteries. In unilateral headaches, increased heat loss from the affected frontotemporal region was observed most frequently in attacks which were temporarily relieved by compression to the superficial temporal artery; thermographic asymmetry disappeared as the headache abated. Although such headaches were associated more frequently with migrainous features than attacks which did not respond to arterial compression, many headaches with clinical features of migraine had no vascular component detectable by thermography or vascular compression. Furthermore, the response to arterial compression was not consistent from one headache to another in the same patient. It was concluded that extracranial vascular changes recur intermittently in headache-prone patients, depending on the severity of pain and association with other features commonly regarded as migrainous. However, there was no clear demarcation point between entities diagnosed clinically as "migraine" and "tension headache".     

Sinus Bradycardia, Junctional Rhythm and Blood Pressure Increase During Repeated Cluster Headache Attacks

SYNOPSIS
We have observed in a patient, during four subsequent spontaneous attacks of cluster headache, recurrence of marked bradycardia and junctional rhythm constantly associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure increase.     

Cardiovascular Changes in Cluster Headache

SYNOPSIS
Five patients suffering from cluster headache underwent simultaneous recordings of the pneumogram, ECG, and systemic arterial pressure before and during attacks.
The polygraphic investigations showed the following: systolic and diastolic blood pressure increased during attacks; mean heart rate decreased or increased; mean respiratory rate decreased or remained unchanged . Standard deviations and coefficients of variation of all three measures calculated during attacks were higher than those recorded before attacks. The polygraphic recordings showed that during attacks there were phasic cardiovascular changes characterized by an increase and subsequent decrease in arterial pressure and heart rate, synchronous with the respiratory movements.
Cardiovascular reflex function was assessed in two patients prior to and during attacks: Valsalva maneuver was normal be fore and during attacks; beat-to-beat variation of heart rate and heart rate variability during deep breathing showed higher values during attacks compared with values beforehand.
The findings of this study suggest a central disturbance of vagus-sympathetic equilibrium.     

Relationship between chronic tension-type headache, cranial hemodynamics, and cerebrospinal pressure: study involving provocation with sumatriptan

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between chronic tension-type headache, cranial hemodynamics, and cerebrospinal pressure. BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal pressure has been found to be above 200 mm in about 50% of patients with chronic tension-type headache. METHODS: Heart rate, blood pressure, common carotid artery diameter and blood flow, and craniovascular resistance and pain at regular intervals before, during, and after head-down tilt-a procedure which increases cerebrospinal pressure, were recorded. After head-down tilt, subcutaneous injections of either placebo or 6 mg of sumatriptan were administered. Chronic tension-type headache intensity before and after withdrawal of 20 mL of cerebrospinal fluid was documented. Cerebrospinal pressure and chronic tension-type headache intensity were measured after subcutaneous injection of 6 mg of sumatriptan. RESULTS: Head-down tilt provoked an increase of headache compared with baseline. Common carotid artery blood flow decreased and craniovascular resistance increased after sumatriptan injection, but not after placebo injection. The pain decreased after head-down tilt and placebo injection, but not after sumatriptan injection. Chronic tension-type headache intensity decreased in all 4 patients studied after withdrawal of 20 mL of cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal pressure increased in 5 patients with chronic tension-type headache after subcutaneous injection of 6 mg of sumatriptan with slight or no increase of pain. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that cerebrospinal pressure or intracranial venous pressure (or both) are related to chronic tension-type headache.     

Ocular Blood Flow Changes in Cluster Headache and Chronic Paroxysmal Hemicrania

Intraocular pressure and pulsatile ocular blood flow were recorded during and between attacks in patients suffering from cluster headache (n = 18) or chronic paroxysmal hemicrania (n = 7). Similarities, as well as significant differences, were observed between the two groups of patients, pointing to fundamental differences between the two disorders with regard to pathophysiology. Compared with healthy controls, the cluster headache patients demonstrated low pulsatile ocular blood flow values between attacks, with an increase to normal levels during pain. The chronic paroxysmal hemicrania patients, however, had normal values between attacks with a marked and significant increase to high values during attacks.     

Diurnal blood pressure variation in quadriplegic chronic spinal cord injury patients.

1. Measurement of blood pressure and heart rate over a 24 h period was performed in 10 quadriplegic spinal cord injury patients and 10 immobilized, neurologically intact orthopaedic subjects by using the Spacelabs 90207 automated ambulatory monitoring system. 2. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure fell significantly at night in orthopaedic subjects but not in quadriplegic patients, and night-time blood pressures were similar in both groups. 3. Cumulative summation of differences from a reference value (cusum analysis) confirmed a markedly diminished diurnal blood pressure variation in the quadriplegic patients. 4. These findings could not be accounted for on the basis of blood pressure variations during chronic postural change. 5. Heart rate fell significantly at night in both groups. 6. The findings suggest that the increase in blood pressure during waking hours in neurologically intact subjects is a consequence of a diurnal variation in sympathetic activity (absent in quadriplegic patients with sympathetic decentralization) which is independent of changes in physical activity.     

Provocation of Unilateral Pain in Cluster Headache Patients by Breathing CO2

Ten patients with cluster headache in an active period and 6 controls were studied as to heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow in the common carotid arteries (CCA), end-tidal PCO₂ and pain before, during and after 6 minutes of breathing 6% CO₂ In air. Heart rate increased significantly during C0₂ breathing in controls but not in patients. The cluster headache patients had significantly lower baseline end-tidal PCO₂ than controls. CCA blood flow increased significantly during CO₂ breathing in both groups. Vascular resistance decreased during CO₂ provocation and increased above baseline levels 5 minutes after provocation in both groups and related to the end-tidal PCO₂. Six of eight cluster headache patients, who had an increase of blood flow at provocation, reported slight to moderate unilateral pain in relation to the CO₂ provocation in contrast to controls.
One patient treated with 6 mg sumatriptan 2.5 hours before the provocation had an end-tidal PCO₂ within the range of the controls, and did not get an increase of CCA blood flow or pain at provocation.
Six of the cluster headache patients were restudied when out of the active period. There was still no heart rate increase during CO₂ breathing and end-tidal PCO₂ was still lower than in the controls. Unilateral headache was not provoked.     

SUNCT Syndrome: A Hungarian Case

A Hungarian patient with short-lasting, unilateral, neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) is presented in this paper. This male patient was first diagnosed as having first division trigeminal neuralgia. The location and duration of the attacks and the prominent accompanying autonomic feature on the symptomatic aide, such as conjunctival injection, lacrimation, nasal stuffiness, and the inefficacy of drugs, led to a reconsideration of the diagnosis. The pain paroxysms occurred frequently during a 3-to 4-month period, followed by a longer remission phase. Mechanical precipitating maneuvers were observed during bouts of pain. The clinical picture is reminiscent of the SUNCT syndrome, first described by Sjaastad et al in 1978.
SUNCT and trigeminal neuralgia are in many ways similar, although, some decisive differences have also been noted. Further observations are needed to distinguish the two disorders and to clarify this syndrome as a new headache type or as a trigeminal neuralgia variant.     

Assymetry of Temporal Artery Diameters During Spontaneous Attacks of Cluster Headache

Background.— Cluster headache is characterized by strictly unilateral head pain associated with symptoms of cranial autonomic features. Transcranial Doppler studies showed in most studies a bilateral decreased blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery.
Objective.— To investigate whether there is a bilateral or unilateral extracranial vasodilation during spontaneous cluster headache attacks.
Design and methods.— In 9 cluster headache patients, we investigated the luminal diameter of the superficial temporal artery with ultrasound on the headache and headache-free side during and outside cluster headache attacks.
Results.— During cluster headache attacks, the diameter of the superficial temporal artery on the painful side was greater, 1.48 mm, than the diameter on the nonheadache site, 1.14 mm ( P  < .01). Outside attacks, median diameters on the 2 sides were quite comparable, 1.34 vs 1.31 mm ( P  = .67).
Conclusions.— What was observed is most likely a general pain-induced arterial vasoconstriction (confer the decrease in diameter on the pain-free side) with an unchanged superficial temporal artery on the pain side because of some vasodilator influence.     

Stress, Temporal Artery Activity, and Pain in Migraine Headache: a Prospective Analysis

SYNOPSIS
Temporal artery, frontal EMG, systemic blood pressure, peripheral temperature, heart rate, and anxiety levels were monitored daily four days preceding a typical migraine attack and during the headache in twelve female migraine cases. The specific relationship between temporal artery activity and anxiety and temporal artery activity and pain was also determined. The results indicated the presence of an increased variability in the right temporal artery three days preceding the migraine with the absence of changes in the general autonomic and skeletal muscle measures. Considerable individual differences in temporal artery amplitude were observed necessitating an analysis of individual patients which revealed a general pattern of dilation three days prior to the attack and constriction the day preceding the attack. Increased anxiety was noted only on the headache day. Elevations in anxiety four days prior to the migraine were associated with the increased temporal artery variability observed three days prior to the attack. Anxiety experienced on the headache day was not related to changes in temporal artery amplitude variability or pain. Temporal artery dilation was not consistently associated with the site of pain. The results provide support for a disregulation theory of migraine relating anxiety to temporal artery change across days preceding the attack but question major assumptions regarding anxiety, temporal artery activity and pain during the headache itself.     

不同降压药对寒冷所致的高血压病患者血压和心率变化的影响

目的　评价不同降压药对寒冷所致的高血压病患者血压和心率的影响。方法　以有、无应用某一类降压药治疗 ,把 111例血压控制稳定的高血压病患者分成 β阻滞剂、利尿剂、钙阻滞剂、ACEI、ARB 5个组及无以上药物的 5个对照组。结果　①气温骤降前患者的收缩压及舒张压控制达到目标血压 ;②气温骤降后 ,只有ARB治疗组收缩压和舒张压无明显改变 ,其余各组收缩压和舒张压均明显升高 ;③与对照组比较 ,寒冷所致的收缩压上升幅度 ,钙阻滞剂、ACEI两组显著增加 ;而利尿剂、ARB显著减少 ,β阻滞剂无区别 ;④与对照组比较 ,寒冷所致的舒张压上升幅度 ,利尿剂、β阻滞剂均显著增加 ,钙阻滞剂、ACEI及ARB无区别 ;⑤心率变化方面β阻滞剂自身对比和与对照组比较均明显下降 ;利尿剂组则明显上升 ,其余各组无变化。 结论　寒冷使高血压病患者收缩压和舒张压明显升高 ,而心率多无明显变化 ,在阻断收缩压上升方面利尿剂和ARB有效 ,在阻断舒张上升方面ARB有效。     

Measurements of autonomic function before, during, and after transcutaneous stimulation in patients with chronic pain and in control subjects.

Transcutaneous stimulation (TCS) has been reported to modify peripheral blood flow, skin temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate, all of which are under the influence of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). In 20 patients with intractable pain and in 10 control subjects, TCS was not found to alter significantly any of the observed properties of ANS function of control subjects or patients, except to decrease skin impedance in the patient group after the stimulation. Patients reporting pain relief during TCS were found to have significantly higher systolic blood pressure under all test conditions than patients reporting no pain relief (p less than 0.05). No other significant differences were found between these two groups. Finally, in the patients, no significant localized autonomic changes were demonstrated in the painful area by comparison with the homologous body part.