Calcium deficiency and supraorbital headache: a clinical study of adult subjects

The present study was aimed at investigating the relationship between "chronic constitutional tetany" (spasmophilia) and headache. Several adult patients presenting with neuromuscular hyperexcitability, anxiety, dysautonomia, and oculofrontal headache were subjected to a series of ion and hormone blood tests, and the results were compared with those in control subjects. Calcium and parathyroid hormone levels were significantly decreased, and phosphorus and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity were significantly increased. A subgroup of the patients had all four abnormalities. In most cases the family history was positive for headache. Sleep disturbances and personal histories of periodic syndrome in infancy were recorded. It is concluded that a correlation may exist between the symptoms assessed and an impairment of some ion and hormone levels. There are several traits in common with "common migraine", and our patients may form a subgroup of that group. A possible linkage between headache/tetany and the periodic and hyperventilation syndromes is discussed. The increased beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity is putatively a reactive phenomenon.