title: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome: a rare cause of postpartum headache.
abstract: We describe two women presenting with severe postpartum headache associated with hypertension but with no other signs or investigation results to suggest pre-eclampsia. In one case, the headache was associated with atypical subarachnoid haemorrhage. The variable nature of the headache and the degree of associated hypertension raised the clinical suspicion of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome, confirmed on MR angiography. Both patients took nimodipine until the cerebral vasoconstriction had resolved radiologically.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Academic Centre, St. Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: Kate S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Wiles
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nortley
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Ata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Holmes
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's Health, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson-Piercy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D049590:Postpartum Period; D020301:Vasospasm, Intracranial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*
keywords: HEADACHE