title: Melatonin responsive hemicrania continua.
abstract: Hemicrania continua is one of the indomethacin-responsive headache syndromes. There are very few effective alternative therapies for hemicrania continua, thus patients may require daily indomethacin for years. The risks of long-term indomethacin include gastrointestinal and renal dysfunction. Melatonin is a pineal hormone with a chemical structure very similar to indomethacin. Recently, melatonin was shown to be effective for primary stabbing headache, another indomethacin-responsive syndrome. Three cases of melatonin responsive hemicrania continua are now reported.
authors.affiliation: Michigan Head-Pain and Neurological Institute, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA.
authors.forename: Todd D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Rozen
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008550:Melatonin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D008550:Melatonin; D007213:Indomethacin