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.
Camann
W R
WR
Department of Anesthesia, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Murray
R S
RS
Mushlin
P S
PS
Lambert
D H
DH
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