Headaches are among the top reasons for consultation in primary care clinics and can be classified either as primary or secondary. Primary headaches are unrelated to any medical condition and usually benign in nature. Secondary headaches are caused by an underlying pathology or condition. The mnemonic “HEADACHES” may be used to remember the red flags and it includes: Headache of sudden onset, Elderly onset, Altered mental status or neurologic deficits, Different or new pattern, Associated systemic symptoms, Cancer or immunocompromised state, Headache with exertion or position change, Eye findings and Secondary risk factors. Patients presenting with red flags are suggested to have underlying causes or secondary headaches and presence of which warrants diagnostic investigation or referral to specialists. Diagnostic imaging is not routinely recommended for patients with headache unless presenting with red flags or with suspected underlying pathology.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is a disease characterized by reversible and multiple stenoses of cerebral blood vessels that improve within 3 months, accompanied by thunderclap headache. Here, we report an interesting case of RCVS initially misdiagnosed as Moyamoya disease with transient ischemic attack. A 45-year-old woman visited the Neurology Department of Eulji University Hospital. The patient was initially diagnosed with Moyamoya disease with transient ischemic attack. However, follow-up magnetic resonance angiography performed 12 months after the patient was appropriately diagnosed as having RCVS.
Blood Vessels ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Middle Aged ; Moyamoya Disease ; Neurology ; Vasoconstriction

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cluster headache (CH) is frequently either not diagnosed or the diagnosis is delayed. We addressed this issue by developing the self-administered Cluster Headache Screening Questionnaire (CHSQ). METHODS: Experts selected items from the diagnostic criteria of CH and the characteristics of migraine. The questionnaire was administered to first-visit headache patients at nine headache clinics. The finally developed CHSQ included items based on the differences in responses between CH and non-CH patients, and the accuracy and reliability of the scoring model were assessed. RESULTS: Forty-two patients with CH, 207 migraineurs, 73 with tension-type headache, and 18 with primary stabbing headache were enrolled. The CHSQ item were scored as follows: 3 points for ipsilateral eye symptoms, agitation, and duration; 2 points for clustering patterns; and 1 point for the male sex, unilateral pain, disability, ipsilateral nasal symptoms, and frequency. The total score of the CHSQ ranged from 0 to 16. The mean score was higher in patients with CH than in non-CH patients (12.9 vs. 3.4, p < 0.001). At a cutoff score of >8 points, the CHSQ had a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 95.2%, 96%, 76.9%, and 99.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The CHSQ is a reliable screening tool for the rapid identification of CH.
Cluster Headache* ; Diagnosis ; Dihydroergotamine ; Headache ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening* ; Migraine Disorders ; Prevalence ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tension-Type Headache

A 50-year-old woman reported to the emergency department with thunderclap headache and vomiting. Non-enhanced brain computed tomography (CT) showed a subarachnoid hemorrhage of Hunt-Hess Grade II and Fisher Grade III. Brain angiography CT and transfemoral cerebral angiography (TFCA) revealed an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery. A direct neck clipping was performed using the pterional approach. The post-operation CT was uneventful. Six days postoperatively, the patient became lethargic. The mean velocity (cm/s) of the middle cerebral artery peaked at 173 cm/s on the right side and 167 cm/s on the left. A TFCA revealed decreased perfusion in both recurrent arteries of Heubner (RAH), but no occlusion in either. Intra-arterial nimodipine injection was administered. On the 7th postoperative day, CT demonstrated a newly developed low-density lesion in the RAH territory bilaterally. The cause of the infarction was attributed to decreased perfusion caused by cerebral vasospasm. The patient was discharged with no definite neurologic deficit except for mild cognitive disorder.
Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Arteries* ; Brain ; Cerebral Angiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Infarction* ; Infarction, Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Middle Aged ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neck ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Nimodipine ; Perfusion ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Vasospasm, Intracranial ; Vomiting

Acute rhinosinusitis is a common entity in children, most are due to viral infections, however up to over 80% children with rhinosinusitis are prescribed with antibiotics. Acute bacterial sinusitis should be diagnosed in when a child has 1) a severe onset with a fever over 39℃, purulent nasal discharge or facial pain for 3 to 4 days; 2) persistent illness with rhinorrhea, daytime cough or both for over 10 days with no clinical improvement; or 3) worsening course with symptoms aggravating or new onset symptoms including fever, headache, cough or rhinorrhea after clinical improvement. Radiographic imaging is not recommended for differentiation of viral and bacterial rhinosinusitis, however a contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be done in cases with orbital or central nervous system complications. Antibiotics may be prescribed in cases with severe onset or worsening course. Antibiotics may be prescribed after additional observation for 3 days in children with persistent illness. Amoxicillin-clavulanate (amoxicillin 40 to 50 mg/kg/day, every 12 hours) is recommended for initial treatment and high dose amoxicillin-clavulanate (amoxicillin 90 mg/kg/day every 12 hours) may be considered in cases with severe infection, children in day care center, under 2 years of age, recent admission history, previous antibiotics within 1 month and immunocompromised children. Clinical response should be reassessed in cases of worsening or failure to improve within 72 hours of treatment.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Central Nervous System ; Child ; Cough ; Day Care, Medical ; Diagnosis ; Facial Pain ; Fever ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Orbit ; Sinusitis

No abstract available.
Dermoid Cyst ; Headache Disorders, Primary

The pathophysiology of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is not known but coexisting vascular lesion, such as carotid artery and vertebral artery dissection, has been reported. However, RCVS concurrent with anterior cerebral artery dissection has never been reported. We describe a 28-year old patient presenting with anterior cerebral artery dissection with RCVS associated with coughing. This case could support the causality between RCVS and arterial dissection.
Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Carotid Arteries ; Cough ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Vasoconstriction ; Vertebral Artery Dissection

No abstract available.
Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Young Adult

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is characterized by severe thunderclap headache with multifocal segmental vasoconstriction of the cerebral arteries. RCVS can be diagnosed if the cerebral angiogram shows segmental stenosis and spontaneously resolves within weeks to months. RCVS is reversible, but might cause brain lesions such as subarachnoid hemorrhage or cerebral infarction. We report a 45-year-old woman with severe sudden onset frontal headache who was identified with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome.
Angiography ; Brain ; Cerebral Arteries ; Cerebral Infarction ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Female ; Headache ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Swimming ; Vasoconstriction

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the clinical usefulness of the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Ottawa subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) rule and EMERALD (Emergency Medicine, Registry Analysis, Learning and Diagnosis) SAH rule for predicting SAH in patients with acute headache. METHODS: This clinical retrospective study was conducted at an urban emergency department between January 2008 and December 2017. Alert, neurologically intact adult patients with acute headache were included. All data were drawn from electrical medical charts. The Ottawa SAH rule (positive if any of age ≥40, neck pain, loss of consciousness, onset during exertion, thunderclap headache, and neck stiffness), EMERALD SAH rule (positive if any of systolic blood pressure >150 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure >90 mmHg, serum glucose >115 mg/dL, or serum potassium < 3.9 mEq/L) and NLR were assessed. The sensitivity and specificity of these tools for detecting or ruling out SAH was calculated. RESULTS: Among the 1,230 patients enrolled in this study, 299 (24.3%) were diagnosed with SAH. To predict SAH, the Ottawa SAH rule offered 100% sensitivity but 31.6% specificity. Applying the EMERALD SAH rule to patients positive for the Ottawa SAH rule led to 92.6% sensitivity and 48.0% specificity. As the NLR alone showed less efficacy with the area under curve of 0.696 by receiver operating analysis, NLR (>2.1) was added to the last step to have achieve 99.0% sensitivity and 56.7% specificity. CONCLUSION: The stepwise application of the Ottawa, EMERALD SAH rule, and NLR increased the specificity compared to each application. On the other hand, further studies will be needed to increase the sensitivity.
Adult ; Area Under Curve ; Blood Glucose ; Blood Pressure ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hand ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Headache* ; Humans ; Learning ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Potassium ; Retrospective Studies ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Unconsciousness