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Background Headache is a frequent symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Its long-term evolution remains unknown. We aim to evaluate the long-term duration of headache in patients that presented headache during the acute phase of COVID-19. Methods This is a post-hoc multicenter ambisective study including patients from six different third-level hospitals between 1 March and 27 April 2020. Patients completed 9 months of neurological follow-up. Results We included 905 patients. Their median age was 51 (IQR 45–65), 66.5% were female, and 52.7% had a prior history of primary headache. The median duration of headache was 14 (6–39) days; however, the headache persisted after 3 months in 19.0% (95% CI: 16.5–21.8%) and after 9 months in 16.0% (95% confidence interval: 13.7–18.7%). Headache intensity during the acute phase was associated with a more prolonged duration of headache (Hazard ratio 0.655; 95% confidence interval: 0.582–0.737). Conclusion The median duration of headache was 2 weeks, but in approximately a fifth of patients it became persistent and followed a chronic daily pattern.

Objective The objective is to summarize the knowledge on the epidemiology, pathophysiology and management of secondary headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination; as well as to delineate their impact on primary headache disorders. Methods This is a narrative review of the literature regarding primary and secondary headache disorders in the setting of COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a literature search in 2022 on PubMed, with the keywords “COVID 19” or “vaccine” and “headache” to assess the appropriateness of all published articles for their inclusion in the review. Results Headache is a common and sometimes difficult-to-treat symptom of both the acute and post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Different pathophysiological mechanisms may be involved, with the trigeminovascular system as a plausible target. Specific evidence-based effective therapeutic options are lacking at present. Headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations is also common, its pathophysiology being unclear. People with primary headache disorders experience headache in the acute phase of COVID-19 and after vaccination more commonly than the general population. Pandemic measures, forcing lifestyle changes, seemed to have had a positive impact on migraine, and changes in headache care (telemedicine) have been effectively introduced. Conclusions The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge, having an impact on the development of secondary headaches, both in people with or without primary headaches. This has created opportunities to better understand and treat headache and to potentiate strategies to manage patients and ensure care.

Precise identification of patients at highest risk for developing Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNAemia may improve CMV infection management in the allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) setting. Here, we studied the potential use of detecting free CMV micro(mi)RNAs circulating in plasma for predicting CMV DNAemia in this clinical scenario. A total of 62 adult allo-HSCT recipients were included in this prospective observational multicenter study. Plasma CMV DNA load was monitored using the CMV RealTime CMV PCR (Abbott Molecular, Des Plaines, IL, USA). Detection of mature CMV miRNAs in plasma drawn by days + 7, + 14 and + 30 after allo-HSCT was performed using the miScript PCR System (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Assays could be optimized for five out of the seven targeted CMV miRNAs: UL36-5p, US33-5p, UL148D, UL22A-5p and UL112-3p. Of the 62 patients included in the study, 42 developed a first episode of CMV DNAemia at a median of 35 days after allo-HSCT. All targeted CMV miRNA were detected early after transplantation, with CMV miRNA US33-5p and UL112-3p the most commonly found species at any time point; nevertheless, neither the detection rate of CMV miRNAs nor their abundance allowed discrimination between patients with subsequent CMV DNAemia and those with no CMV DNAemia. The data presented herein do not support any predictive utility of these CMV miRNAs for first episodes of CMV DNAemia in a cohort consisting primarily of allo-HSCT patients receiving haploidentical allografts.

Stigma manifests both in prejudices and rejection from society towards patients who suffer from a specific pathology, and by patient’s internalization of this discrimination, with the consequent repercussions on their state of mind and quality of life. The aim of the study was to quantify the stigma associated with migraine and analyze whether it is related to the clinical-demographic characteristics of the patients, as well as the possible impact on their daily lives. The stigma scale for chronic illness (SSCI) and other questionnaires were administered to 56 patients with episodic migraine (EM), 18 with chronic migraine (CM), and 21 with epilepsy, as a control group. The mean SSCI score was higher (51.6 ± 15.0) in the CM group than in the EM (45.0 ± 13.5) and epilepsy (47.6 ± 15.5) groups, without reaching statistical significance. In addition, the score was higher in patients who were unemployed, divorced, and in those who had migraine with aura. A statistically significant correlation was found between the SSCI score and the impact of migraine on daily life, the presence of stress, anxiety and depression, and low self-esteem. There is a stigma around migraine in our society, which seems to be more prevalent in patients with certain socio-demographic characteristics, and that is related to stress, mood alterations, and low self-esteem. Trying to reduce stigma could contribute to improve the control of migraine and reduce the impact of the disease at a socio-economic level.

BACKGROUND Sundown syndrome (SS) is the onset or worsening of behavioral symptoms in the evening in patients with dementia. OBJECTIVE To identify the differential clinical profile of patients with dementia who present SS. METHODS A cross-sectional, case-control observational study was conducted by retrospectively reviewing the medical records of patients with dementia in a specialized Memory Unit. We compared the characteristics of patients with and without SS, including sociodemographic variables, etiology, and severity of the dementia, behavioral symptoms, sleep disorders (considering insomnia and hypersomnia), other diseases and treatments employed. We identified the factors related to SS and conducted a logistic regression analysis to establish a predictive nomogram. RESULTS Of the 216 study patients with dementia, 41 (19%) had SS. There was a predominance of women (2.4:1), advanced age (p = 0.0001), dependence (p