Migraine-type headaches in children receiving chemotherapy and ondansetron.
Six children developed severe daily migraine-type headaches during cancer treatment. In addition to chemotherapy drugs, all received daily doses of ondansetron, a 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 receptor antagonist. 5-Hydroxytryptamine is considered to play a central role in migraine pathogenesis, and ondansetron may have caused headaches by producing 5-hydroxytryptamine dysfunction in the brain. All six children had either a personal or a family history of migraine, and this may be a risk factor for developing ondansetron-associated migraine-type headaches. Ondansetron-induced headaches respond to withholding the drug and to standard antimigraine medications, but further study of a larger group of patients is required to confirm this impression.
Khan
Raja B
RB
Division of Neurology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, USA. raja.khan@stjude.org
D000293:Adolescent; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D017294:Ondansetron / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control
D000932:Antiemetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017294:Ondansetron