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[Hypnic headache: a report of four cases]
1Unidade de Neurología e Neurofisiología, Hospital de São José, Lisboa, 1150-199, Portugal.
Revista De Neurologia
|July 23, 2002
Summary
Hypnic headaches, rare sleep-related headaches, typically affect older adults. This study found lithium carbonate effective in treating these headaches, even in younger patients who didn't fully meet diagnostic criteria.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Headache Disorders
Background:
- Hypnic headache is an uncommon, short-duration primary headache disorder linked to sleep.
- While typically described in elderly individuals, diagnostic criteria have been established.
- It is characterized by nocturnal awakenings due to headache, lasting 5-60 minutes without autonomic features.
Observation:
- Four patients (3 female, 1 male; ages 43-68) presented with moderate to severe unilateral, daily headaches.
- These headaches occurred at night, waking the patients and lasting for several hours.
- Clinical investigations ruled out organic causes for the headaches.
Findings:
- Despite some patients not meeting all established diagnostic criteria for hypnic headache, their presentation suggested this diagnosis.
- Various treatments were attempted, but only lithium carbonate (400 mg nightly) provided complete symptom relief.
- Headaches recurred in some patients upon discontinuation of lithium carbonate.
Implications:
- This case series suggests that lithium carbonate may be an effective treatment for hypnic headaches, even in patients who do not strictly meet all diagnostic criteria.
- The findings support considering hypnic headaches in a broader age range than previously described.
- Further research is warranted to explore the efficacy and optimal use of lithium in managing hypnic headaches.