Study of cluster headache: A hospital-based study

Cluster headache (CH) is uncommon and most painful of all primary headaches, and continues to be managed suboptimally because of wrong diagnosis. It needs to be diagnosed correctly and specifically treated. There are few studies and none from this region on CH.

To study the detailed clinical profile of CH patients and to compare them among both the genders. Study was conducted at Mahatma Gandhi hospital, Jodhpur (from January 2011to December 2013). Study comprises 30 CH patients diagnosed according to International Headache Society guidelines (ICHD-II). Routine investigations and MRI brain was done in all patients. All measurements were reported as mean ± SD. Categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test, and continuous variables were compared using Student's t-test. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0, was used for statistical analyses with the significance level set at P = 0.05.

M: F ratio was 9:1. Age at presentation was from 22-60 years (mean - 38 years). Latency before diagnosis was 3 months-12 years (mean - 3.5 years). All suffered from episodic CH and aura was found in none. Pain was strictly unilateral (right-19, left-11), predominantly over temporal region-18 (60%). Pain intensity was severe in 27 (90%) and moderate in 3 (10%). Pain quality was throbbing in 12 (40%). Peak intensity was reached in 5 minutes-30 minutes and attack duration varied from 30 minutes to 3 hours (mean - 2.45 hours). Among autonomic features, conjunctival injection-23 (76.6%) and lacrimation-25 (83.3%) were most common. Restlessness during episode was found in 80%. CH duration varied from 10 days to 12 weeks. Circadian periodicity for attacks was noted in 24 (80%).

Results are consistent with other studies on many accounts, but is different from Western studies with respect to low frequency of family history, chronic CH, restlessness and aura preceeding the attack. Detailed elicitation of history is paramount as misdiagnosis is common.