title: Medication overuse headache in school-aged children: more common than expected?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of medication overuse headache (MOH) in a group of children and adolescents seen for headache in a third-level center in Italy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological studies indicate a prevalence of MOH in children and adolescents between 0.3 and 0.5%; no data are available for the Italian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied a group of first-seen children and adolescents (118 patients, 43.2% male and 56.8% female, mean age: 11.9 years). A detailed history was taken, using criteria defined by Olesen et al to assess the presence of MOH. Statistical correlations between demographic and diagnostic variables were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven (9.3%) of our patients presented MOH; in the group with chronic daily headache, the prevalence raised to 20.8%. At follow up, after introduction of a more rationale treatment, most patients improved, but 2 of them reported a worsening of their headache.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that a strong warning regarding medication overuse in headache therapy is essential for pediatricians and neuropsychiatrists.
authors: Child Neuropsychiatry Unit-IRCCS National Institute of Neurology C. Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
authors: Fausta
authors: F
authors: Piazza
authors: Matteo
authors: M
authors: Chiappedi
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Maffioletti
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Galli
authors: Umberto
authors: U
authors: Balottin
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D051271:Headache Disorders, Secondary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students