title: Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Cluster Headache.
abstract: Patients with cluster headache tend to have a dysregulation of systemic blood pressure such as increased blood pressure variability and decreased nocturnal dipping. This pattern of nocturnal nondipping is associated with end-organ damage and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  
  To determine if cluster headache is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study of 33 cluster headache patients without evidence of cardiovascular disease and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed in all subjects. We evaluate anthropometric, hematologic, and structural parameters (carotid intima-media thickness and ankle-brachial index).
  
  
  
  Of the 33 cluster headache patients, 16 (48.5%) were nondippers, a higher percentage than expected. Most of the cluster headache patients (69.7%) also presented a pathological ankle-brachial index. In terms of the carotid intima-media thickness values, 58.3% of the patients were in the 75th percentile, 25% were in the 90th percentile, and 20% were in the 95th percentile. In the control group, only five of the 30 subjects (16.7%) had a nondipper pattern ( P  =   0.004), with 4.54% in the 90th and 95th percentiles ( P  =   0.012 and 0.015).
  
  
  
  Compared with healthy controls, patients with cluster headache presented a high incidence (48.5%) of nondipper pattern, pathological ankle-brachial index (69.7%), and intima-media thickness values above the 75th percentile. These findings support the hypothesis that patients with cluster headache present increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology.
authors.forename: S Santos
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Lasaosa
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology.
authors.forename: E Bellosta
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Diago
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine, Clinical University Hospital "Lozano Blesa," Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: J Navarro
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Calzada
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology.
authors.forename: A Velázquez
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Benito
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness / Q000639:trends; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Ankle-Braquial Index; Blood Pressure Dip; Cardiovascular Disease; Cluster Headache; Intima-Media Thickness; Vascular Risk Factor