No effect of pure oxygen inhalation on headache induced by glyceryl trinitrate.
Inhalation of hyperbaric oxygen has been used as an experimental treatment for migraine and pure oxygen is an established treatment for cluster headache. Intravenous glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is an established headache model. In the present study the possibility of decreasing the headache by inhalation of pure oxygen was explored in a double-blind crossover design in 18 healthy subjects. Inhalation of air served as placebo. The subjects received intravenous GTN (0.25 microg/kg/min) for 20 min. Headache was scored for 85 min. Sixteen of 18 (89%) subjects experienced GTN-induced headache after O(2)-inhalation and 17/18 (94%) experienced GTN-induced headache after air. The mean peak headache scores were 1.9 and 2.4, respectively, on a numerical scale of 0-10. Oxygen inhalation did not have effect on GTN-induced headache, most likely because the theoretical decrease in NO levels, due to faster metabolism of NO, is too small to be detected in the GTN headache model.
Department of Neurology, Danish Headache Centre, Glostrup Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dorthe
D
Daugaard
Peer
P
Tfelt-Hansen
Lars Lykke
LL
Thomsen
Helle Klingenberg
HK
Iversen
Jes
J
Olesen
D000328:Adult; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D055815:Young Adult
D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D010100:Oxygen