Therapy-resistant cluster headache in childhood: case report and literature review.
The mean age of onset of cluster headache (CH) is in the late third decade. Only few cases of childhood-onset (< 14 years) CH have been reported in the literature. We report the case of an 11-year-old boy who suffered from sudden attacks of shock-like, intense pain, localized in the right orbital region, with associated photophobia, phonophobia, conjunctival injection, lacrimation, nasal congestion, rhinorrhoea and psychomotor agitation. The episodes lasted 60-180 min, and the headache frequency was one to three per day. Physical and neurological examinations, magnetic resonance imaging and blood examinations were normal. The first bout lasted 8 months. Attacks were resistant to every symptomatic and partially to prophylactic treatment that has been tried. The second bout lasted approximately 2 months.
University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache, Section of Pavia and Headache Centre, IRCCS C Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy. neuronet@libero.it
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Antonaci
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Alfei
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Piazza
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De Cillis
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Balottin
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004948:Esotropia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000700:Analgesics