Effects of oral caffeine on postdural puncture headache. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Forty postpartum patients with postdural puncture headache (PDPH) were randomly assigned to receive oral caffeine (300 mg) or a placebo. Intensity of headache, quantitated using a visual analogue pain scale (VAS), was assessed immediately before drug administration and 4 and 24 h later. Relief of PDPH measured as delta VAS (initial VAS - VAS at 4 h) was significantly better in the caffeine than in the placebo group (P = 0.014). Six patients (30%) whose PDPH was relieved by caffeine at 4 h had recurrence of symptoms the following day. Our study demonstrates that caffeine administered orally provides relief, albeit if sometimes transient, from PDPH with minimal side effects.
Department of Anesthesia, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
W R
WR
Camann
R S
RS
Murray
P S
PS
Mushlin
D H
DH
Lambert
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001565:Benzoates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019817:Benzoic Acid; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects*
D001565:Benzoates; D002110:Caffeine; D019817:Benzoic Acid