OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture at sphenopalatine ganglion combined with conventional acupuncture for episodic cluster headache (CH). METHODS: One hundred and eighty patients with episodic CH were randomly divided into a combined group (60 cases, 3 cases dropped off)，an acupuncture group (60 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a sphenopalatine ganglion group (60 cases, 2 cases dropped off and 1 case was removed). The patients in the acupuncture group were treated with conventional acupuncture at Touwei (ST 8), Yintang (GV 24⁺), Yangbai (GB 14), Hegu (LI 4), etc., once a day, 6 times a week. The patients in the sphenopalatine ganglion group were treated with acupuncture at sphenopalatine ganglion, once every other day, 3 times a week. On the basis of the conventional acupuncture, the combined group was treated with acupuncture at sphenopalatine ganglion once every other day. Two weeks were taken as a course of treatment, and 3 courses of treatment were required in the 3 groups. The score of visual analogue scale (VAS), the number of headache attacks per week, the duration of each headache attack and the score of migraine-specific quality of life questionnaire version 2.1 (MSQ) were observed before and after treatment and in follow-up of 3 months after treatment. The clinical efficacy of each group was compared. RESULTS: After treatment and in follow-up, the VAS score of headache, the number of headache attacks per week, the duration of each headache attack, and each various scores and the total score of MSQ of each group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01). Except that the number of headache attacks per week in the combined group was lower than the sphenopalatine ganglion group (P<0.01), other indexes in the combined group were lower than the other two groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The total effective rate in the combined group was 93.0% (53/57), which was higher than 75.9% (44/58) in the acupuncture group and 73.7% (42/57) in the sphenopalatine ganglion group（P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSION Acupuncture at sphenopalatine ganglion combined with conventional acupuncture could reduce the degree of pain in patients with episodic CH, reduce the number and duration of headache attacks, and improve the quality of life of patients. It is more effective than simple conventional acupuncture or acupuncture at sphenopalatine ganglion alone.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Cluster Headache/therapy* ; Headache/therapy* ; Humans ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop the clinical guideline for headache by the systematic review and synthesis of existing evidence-based guidelines. The purpose of developing the guideline was to improve the appropriateness of diagnosis and treatment of headache disorder, and consequently, to improve patients’ pain control and quality of life. The guideline broadly covers the differential diagnosis and treatment of tension-type headache, migraine, cluster headache, and medication-overuse headache. METHODS: This is a methodological study based on the ADAPTE methodology, including a systematic review of the literature, quality assessment of the guidelines using the Appraisal of Clinical Guidelines for REsearch & Evaluation II (AGREE II) Instrument, as well as an external review using a Delphi technique. The inclusion criteria for systematic search were as follows: topic-relevant, up-to-date guidelines including evidence from within 5 years, evidence-based guidelines, guidelines written in English or Korean, and guidelines issued by academic institutions or government agencies. RESULTS: We selected five guidelines and conducted their quality assessment using the AGREE II Instrument. As a result, one guideline was found to be eligible for adaptation. For 13 key questions, a total of 39 recommendations were proposed with the grading system and revised using the nominal group technique. CONCLUSION: Recommendations should be applied to actual clinical sites to achieve the ultimate goal of this guideline; therefore, follow-up activities, such as monitoring of guideline usage and assessment of applicability of the recommendations, should be performed in the future. Further assessment of the effectiveness of the guideline in Korea is needed.
Cluster Headache ; Delphi Technique ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Government Agencies ; Headache Disorders ; Headache ; Korea ; Methods ; Migraine Disorders ; Quality of Life ; Tension-Type Headache

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cluster headache (CH) can present with migrainous symptoms such as nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. In addition, an overlap between CH and migraine has been reported. This study aimed to determine the differences in the characteristics of CH according to the presence of comorbid migraine. METHODS: This study was performed using data from a prospective multicenter registry study of CH involving 16 headache clinics. CH and migraine were diagnosed by headache specialists at each hospital based on third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3). We interviewed patients with comorbid migraine to obtain detailed information about migraine. The characteristics and psychological comorbidities of CH were compared between patients with and without comorbid migraine. RESULTS: Thirty (15.6%) of 192 patients with CH had comorbid migraine, comprising 18 with migraine without aura, 1 with migraine with aura, 3 with chronic migraine, and 8 with probable migraine. Compared to patients with CH without migraine, patients with CH with comorbid migraine had a shorter duration of CH after the first episode [5.4±7.4 vs. 9.0±8.2 years (mean±standard deviation), p=0.008], a lower frequency of episodic CH (50.0% vs. 73.5%, p=0.010), and a higher frequency of chronic CH (13.3% vs. 3.7%, p=0.033). Psychiatric comorbidities did not differ between patients with and without comorbid migraine. The headaches experienced by patients could be distinguished based on their trigeminal autonomic symptoms, pulsating character, severity, and pain location. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct characteristics of CH remained unchanged in patients with comorbid migraine with the exception of an increased frequency of chronic CH. The most appropriate management of CH requires clinicians to check the history of preceding migraine, particularly in cases of chronic CH.
Classification ; Cluster Headache ; Comorbidity ; Headache ; Headache Disorders ; Humans ; Hyperacusis ; Migraine Disorders ; Migraine with Aura ; Migraine without Aura ; Nausea ; Photophobia ; Prospective Studies ; Specialization

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

No abstract available.
Cluster Headache ; Frontal Sinus ; Frontal Sinusitis ; Headache ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Sinusitis

Cluster headache (CH) is a rare underdiagnosed primary headache disorder with very severe unilateral pain and autonomic symptoms. Clinical characteristics of Korean patients with CH have not yet been reported. We analyzed the clinical features of CH patients from 11 university hospitals in Korea. Among a total of 200 patients with CH, only 1 patient had chronic CH. The average age of CH patients was 38.1 ± 8.9 years (range 19–60 years) and the average age of onset was 30.7 ± 10.3 years (range 10–57 years). The male-to-female ratio was 7:1 (2.9:1 among teen-onset and 11.7:1 among twenties-onset). Pain was very severe at 9.3 ± 1.0 on the visual analogue scale. The average duration of each attack was 100.6 ± 55.6 minutes and a bout of CH lasted 6.5 ± 4.5 weeks. Autonomic symptoms were present in 93.5% and restlessness or agitation was present in 43.5% of patients. Patients suffered 3.0 ± 3.5 (range 1–25) bouts over 7.3 ± 6.7 (range 1–30) years. Diurnal periodicity and season propensity were present in 68.5% and 44.0% of patients, respectively. There were no sex differences in associated symptoms or diurnal and seasonal periodicity. Korean CH patients had a high male-to-female ratio, relatively short bout duration, and low proportion of chronic CH, unlike CH patients in Western countries.
Age of Onset ; Asia ; Cluster Headache* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Dihydroergotamine ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Korea* ; Periodicity ; Psychomotor Agitation ; Seasons ; Sex Characteristics ; Sex Ratio ; Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias

Headache disorders, one of most common disease in general population, have been developed according to many versions of international classifications. The primary headaches are those in which no consistently identified organic cause can be determined. It is divided into the following categories: (1) migraine, (2) tension-type headache, (3) cluster headache and other trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, (4) other primary headaches. This review described a diagnosis of primary headache disorders based on International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD)-3 beta criteria.
Classification ; Cluster Headache ; Dental Clinics* ; Diagnosis* ; Headache Disorders ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Headache* ; Migraine Disorders ; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders ; Tension-Type Headache ; Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias

Cluster headache is a unique primary headache disorder characterized by unilateral severe orbital pain with ipsilateral autonomic symptoms. Symptomatic cluster headache can be caused by variable diseases, such as cerebral aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, cerebral venous thrombosis, carotid dissection, pituitary tumor, and meningioma. We report a 33-year-old woman with parasellar meningioma mimicking cluster headache. After Novalis stereotactic radiosurgery, pain attacks disappeared.
Adult ; Cluster Headache* ; Female ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations ; Meningioma* ; Orbit ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Radiosurgery* ; Venous Thrombosis

No abstract available.
Cluster Headache* ; Erythema Multiforme* ; Erythema* ; Herpes Simplex

BACKGROUND: The International Classification of Headache Disorders, an essential tool in the diagnosis of headache disorders, has been revised as its 3rd edition, beta (ICHD-IIIbeta). The clinical application in practice is needed to test the feasibility and usefulness of the Korean version of ICHD-IIIbeta. METHODS: Neurologists enrolled consecutive first-visit headache patients from February to March 2014. The classification of headache disorder was done by each investigator according to ICHD-IIIbeta based on the initial structured questionnaire, clinical evaluation, and neuroimaging studies, if needed. A consensus meeting dealt with the cases that were difficult to diagnose. The feasibility and usefulness of this version was assessed by the proportion of unclassified headache disorders using ICHD-IIIbeta compared to the previous version. RESULTS: A total of 207 patients were enrolled: the mean age was 41 years (16-87 years) and women constituted 63.3%. Primary headache disorders were diagnosed in 167 patients (80.7%): 82 migraines, 37 tension-type headaches, 3 cluster headaches, and 45 other primary headache disorders. Thirty-five patients (16.9%) had secondary headache disorders or painful cranial neuropathies/other facial pain and 5 patients (2.4%) could not be classified by ICHD-IIIbeta. The diagnoses differed as compared to the previous version in 32 patients (15.5%): 14.5% differed due to the mitigation of the previous strict criteria and 1% differed due to the introduction of a new diagnostic category. CONCLUSIONS: Classifications by ICHD-IIIbeta are possible in more than 97% of the first-visit headache patients and ICHD-IIIbeta has proved to be more useful than its previous version.
Classification* ; Cluster Headache ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Facial Pain ; Female ; Headache ; Headache Disorders* ; Headache Disorders, Primary ; Headache Disorders, Secondary ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders ; Neuroimaging ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Research Personnel ; Tension-Type Headache