Therapy-resistant cluster headache in childhood: case report and literature review

Cephalalgia. 2010 Feb;30(2):233-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-2982.2009.01883.x.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Cluster Headache / complications
  • Cluster Headache / drug therapy*
  • Cluster Headache / physiopathology*
  • Esotropia / complications
  • Esotropia / surgery
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Analgesics