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Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and prophylactic effect of psilocybin as well as its effects on hypothalamic functional connectivity (FC) in patients with chronic cluster headache (CCH). Background: CCH is an excruciating and difficult‐to‐treat disorder with incompletely understood pathophysiology, although hypothalamic dysfunction has been implicated. Psilocybin may have beneficial prophylactic effects, but clinical evidence is limited. Methods: In this small open‐label clinical trial, 10 patients with CCH were included and maintained headache diaries for 10 weeks. Patients received three doses of peroral psilocybin (0.14 mg/kg) on the first day of weeks five, six, and seven. The first 4 weeks served as baseline and the last 4 weeks as follow‐up. Hypothalamic FC was determined using functional magnetic resonance imaging the day before the first psilocybin dose and 1 week after the last dose. Results: The treatment was well tolerated. Attack frequency was reduced by mean (standard deviation) 31% (31) from baseline to follow‐up (pFWER = 0.008). One patient experienced 21 weeks of complete remission. Changes in hypothalamic–diencephalic FC correlated negatively with a percent change in attack frequency (pFWER = 0.03, R = −0.81), implicating this neural pathway in treatment response. Conclusion: Our results indicate that psilocybin may have prophylactic potential and implicates the hypothalamus in possible treatment response. Further clinical studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Global Campaign against Headache, as a collaborative activity with the World Health Organization (WHO), was formally launched in Copenhagen in March 2004. In the month it turns 18, we review its activities and achievements, from initial determination of its strategic objectives, through partnerships and project management, knowledge acquisition and awareness generation, to evidence-based proposals for change justified by cost-effectiveness analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Headache and facial pain are among the most common, disabling and costly diseases in Europe, which demands for high quality health care on all levels within the health system. The role of the Danish Headache Society is to educate and advocate for the needs of patients with headache and facial pain. Therefore, the Danish Headache Society has launched a third version of the guideline for the diagnosis, organization and treatment of the most common types of headaches and facial pain in Denmark. The second edition was published in Danish in 2010 and has been a great success, but as new knowledge and treatments have emerged it was timely to revise the guideline. The recommendations for the primary headaches and facial pain are largely in accordance with the European guidelines produced by the European Academy of Neurology. The guideline should be used a practical tool for use in daily clinical practice for primary care physicians, neurologists with a common interest in headache, as well as other health-care professionals treating headache patients. The guideline first describes how to examine and diagnose the headache patient and how headache treatment is organized in Denmark. This description is followed by sections on the characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of each of the most common primary and secondary headache disorders and trigeminal neuralgia. The guideline includes many tables to facilitate a quick overview. Finally, the particular challenges regarding migraine and female hormones as well as headache in children are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Neuronal‐specific enolase (NSE) and protein S100B have gained considerable interest as the markers of CNS injury, glial cell activation, and/or blood‐brain barrier (BBB) disruption. No studies have investigated NSE and S100B in cluster headache (CH), but these biomarkers could contribute to the understanding of CH. Methods: Patients with episodic CH in bout (eCHa), in remission (eCHr), and chronic CH (cCH) were included in this randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, 2‐way cross‐over provocation study carried out at the Danish Headache Center. The primary endpoints included (1) differences of NSE and S100B in between groups (eCHa, eCHr, and cCH) at baseline; (2) differences over time in plasma concentrations of NSE and S100B between patient developing an attack and those who did not; (3) differences in plasma concentrations over time of NSE and S100B between active day and placebo day. Baseline findings were compared to the historical data on migraine patients and healthy controls and presented with means ± SD. Results: Nine eCHa, 9 eCHr, and 13 cCH patients completed the study and blood samples from 11 CGRP‐induced CH attacks were obtained. There were no differences in NSE levels between CH groups at baseline, but CH patients in active disease phase had higher levels compared with 32 migraine patients (9.1 ± 2.2 µg/L vs 6.0 ± 2.2 µg/L, P <.0001) and 6 healthy controls (9.1 ± 2.2 µg/L vs 7.3 ± 2.0 µg/L, P =.007). CGRP‐infusion caused no NSE changes and, but a slight, non‐significant, increase in NSE was seen in patients who reported a CGRP‐induced CH attack (2.39 µg/L, 95% Cl [−0.26, 3.85], P =.061). At baseline S100B levels in eCHa patients were higher compared to cCH patients (0.06 ± 0.02 µg/L vs 0.04 ± 0.02 µg/L, P =.018). Infusion of CGRP and CGRP‐induced attacks did not change S100B levels. Apart from induced CH‐attacks no other adverse events were noted. Conclusions: At baseline eCHa patients had higher S100B plasma levels than cCH patients and there was a slight, however not significant, NSE increase in response to CGRP‐induced CH attack. Our findings suggest a possible role of an ictal activation of glial cells in CH pathophysiology, but further studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Medication‐overuse headache (MOH) is recognized as a biobehavioural disorder, warranting that both biological and psychological factors are targeted throughout treatment. A psychological factor of importance may be personality that could be used to tailor treatment if differences are found across headache diagnoses. The objectives were as follows: (a) To investigate if migraine patients and patients with MOH differed on personality traits, (b) To investigate if the two headache groups differed from a Danish normative sample, with respect to personality traits. Materials and Methods: The NEO‐Five‐Factor Inventory was completed, and an age‐matched cohort of episodic migraine patients (n = 94) and MOH patients (n = 94) was included. Multivariate regression models and sex‐stratified comparisons were made on patients' raw scores from five personality traits; neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The headache groups were also compared to personality traits from a Danish normative sample (n = 1032). Results: MOH females obtained significantly lower scores on extraversion (24.4 ± 4.3 vs 27.1 ± 7.2, P < 0.01), openness (23.7 ± 3.9 vs 26.2 ± 6.4, P < 0.01), and conscientiousness (28.9 ± 3.7 vs 34.6 ± 5.8, P > 0.01) as compared to female migraineurs. Males showed no differences. Compared to the normative sample, both headache groups showed a lower score on extraversion (P < 0.01). Furthermore, MOH patients had statistically significant lower scores on conscientiousness while the migraine patients had a higher score. Conclusion: Results suggests some personality trait differences between migraine and MOH patients. Especially, females showed different personality traits, where the MOH females appeared more introvert and less socially orientated. If confirmed in larger studies, this information could be used in personalized treatment in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine whether detoxifying patients with medication-overuse headache can reduce long-term medication costs. Background Direct costs of medications in medication-overuse headache have been reported to be very high but have never been calculated on the basis of exact register data. Long-term economic savings obtained by detoxification have never been investigated. Methods We conducted a registry-based observational retrospective follow-up study on 336 medication-overuse headache patients treated and discharged from the Danish Headache Center over a 2-year period. By means of the Danish Register of Medicinal Product Statistics, we collected information on the costs and use of prescription-only medication 1 year before admission and 1 year after discharge from Danish Headache Center. Results The average medication costs per patient per year decreased with 24%, from US$971 before treatment to US$737 after ( P = .001), and the average medication use decreased with 14.4% ( P = .02). Savings were most pronounced for patients overusing triptans. In this group, the average medication costs per patient per year decreased with 43% ( P < .001), while the average triptan use decreased with 38% ( P < .001). Conclusions The study demonstrates that detoxification of medication-overuse headache at a tertiary headache center has a long-lasting effect on the medication costs and use, in particular among patients overusing triptans. The results may not be generalizable to all countries and may be sensitive to the costs of triptans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study of adverse drug reactions (ADRs), particularly neurosensory disturbance (NSD), associated with the use of local anesthetics in dentistry. Data sets of 1995-2007 annual sales of local anesthetics, of adverse local anesthetic reactions, and clinical sample of 115 NSD patients were reviewed. Results showed a highly substantial overrepresentation of NSDs linked with articaine 4% with mandibular blocks.

Aim: To investigate the influence of clinical and demographic features on diagnostic delay in cluster headache patients, in order to discuss diagnostic pitfalls and raise disease awareness.Methods: A large, well-characterized cohort of 400 validated cluster headache patients from the Danish Cluster Headache Survey, diagnosed according to ICHD-II, were investigated. ANOVA was applied to investigate differences in diagnostic delay between groups. Selected independent variables were assessed in relation to diagnostic delay using a gamma regression model.Results: Diagnostic delay was significantly reduced for each decade of cluster headache onset from 1950-2010 (p < 0.001). Onset after 1990 was associated with shorter diagnostic delay (OR = 0.28, p < 0.001), whereas attack duration > 180 minutes (OR = 1.62, p < 0.034), migraine-like features (OR = 1.30, p < 0.043) and nocturnal attacks (OR = 1.39, p < 0.021) were associated with prolonged diagnostic delay. Further, diagnostic delay decreased with age of onset (age < 20: 13.8 years, age 20-40: 5.4 years and age > 40: 2.1 years, p < 0.001).Conclusion: Diagnostic delay was reduced for every decade investigated, whereas some atypical cluster headache features were associated with prolonged diagnostic delay. Better medical education and more disease awareness are needed to prevent misdiagnosis and prolonged diagnostic delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle factors and comorbid disorders in cluster headache patients with headache-free controls, in order to discuss pathophysiology and possible consequences., Methods: Cluster headache patients from the Danish cluster headache survey aged 18-65 years, diagnosed according to ICHD-II, were compared to sex- and age-matched headache-free controls. Participants completed questionnaires and structured interviews., Results: A total of 400 cluster headache patients and 200 controls participated. Patients had a more unhealthy lifestyle compared with controls in the form of current and current/former smoking (48.3% vs. 9.0%, p < 0.001 and 74.5% vs. 30.0%, p < 0.001, respectively), higher average alcohol intake per week (98.2 grams vs. 77.9 grams, p = 0.033) and BMI (26.1 vs. 24.2 kg/m 2 , p < 0.001), whereas coffee and energy drink consumption was equally distributed. Further, lifestyle-related, psychiatric and pain-related diseases were much more prevalent in patients compared with controls, except for diabetes. Sub-group analyses revealed that current/former smokers had a worse clinical presentation than never smokers., Conclusion: Unhealthy lifestyle factors and lifestyle-related diseases were more prevalent in cluster headache patients compared to controls. As lifestyle-related diseases might have serious consequences in the management of cluster headache, it is key to inform patients at an early time point about the possible risks of their lifestyle choices.

Background: The aetiology behind chronic post-traumatic headache (CPTH) after mild head injury is unclear and management is complicated. In order to optimize treatment strategies we aimed to characterize a CPTH population., Methods: Ninety patients with CPTH and 45 patients with chronic primary headaches were enrolled from the Danish Headache Center. All patients were interviewed about demographic and headache data. They completed the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire, SF-36 and a headache diary., Results: The CPTH group experienced more cognitive ( P < 0.001) and somatic symptoms ( P = 0.048) and rated their self-perceived health as more affected in terms of physical function ( P = 0.036), physical role function ( P = 0.012) and social function ( P = 0.012) than the control group. Surprisingly, 31% of the CPTH group had a score equal to or above the cut-off score for having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) according to the HTQ. In terms of demographics and headache, the groups were comparable except the CPTH group were more often without affiliation to the labour market ( P < 0.001)., Conclusions: The loss of work capacity and high levels of disability for the CPTH patients suggests directions for further research into what important factors are embedded in the patients' PTSD symptoms and might explain their prolonged illness.

Background: Evidence for optimal medication-overuse headache treatment is lacking. Some experts suggest reduced symptomatic medication with prophylactics from the start of withdrawal, while others suggest a two-month drug-free period with multidisciplinary education., Aim: To examine the acceptability, feasibility and outcome of these two regimes in a non-randomised open-label study., Methods: Patients able to undergo outpatient detoxification, with medication-overuse headache that had previously been unsuccessfully treated by specialists and without significant co-morbidities were treated with (A) individual withdrawal with restricted symptomatic medication and prophylactics from Day 1 or (B) a two-month drug-free period and multidisciplinary education in groups. All patients received close one-year follow-up., Results: Eighty-six of 98 patients completed follow-up. Both treatments proved highly effective-80.0% of Group A and 85.4% of Group B were cured of medication-overuse headache. Headache-frequency reduction was 40.2% in Group A and 38.4% in group B. In 48.9% of group A and 48.8% of group B, headache-frequency reduction was >50%. Programme B required fewer resources from the staff and only 61.9% of these patients needed prophylactics after two months compared with 84.8% in programme A., Conclusions: Both structured detoxification programmes proved highly effective with one-year close follow-up in previously treatment-resistant patients with medication-overuse headache. We suggest multidisciplinary education for patients in groups and delaying initiation of prophylactics until after the detoxification.