1. Acute and Preventive Treatment of COVID-19-Related Headache: A Series of 100 Patients
- Author
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David García-Azorín, Claudia García-Ruiz, Álvaro Sierra-Mencía, Yésica González-Osorio, Andrea Recio-García, Ana González-Celestino, Cristina García-Iglesias, Álvaro Planchuelo-Gómez, Ana Echavarría Íñiguez, and Ángel L. Guerrero-Peral
- Subjects
headache disorders ,COVID-19 ,drug therapy ,amitriptyline ,migraine ,botulinum toxins ,Science - Abstract
To describe the need and effectiveness of acute and preventive medications in a series of 100 consecutive patients referred due to COVID-19-related headaches. Patients were aged 48.0 (standard deviation (SD): 12.4), 84% were female, and 56% had a prior history of headache. The most common headache phenotype was holocranial (63%), frontal (48%), pressing (75%), of moderate intensity (7 out of 10), and accompanied by photophobia (58%). Acute medication was required by 93%, with paracetamol (46%) being the most frequently used drug, followed by ibuprofen (44%). The drugs with the highest proportion of a 2 h pain-freedom response were dexketoprofen (58.8%), triptans (57.7%), and ibuprofen (54.3%). Preventive treatment was required by 75% of patients. The most frequently used drugs were amitriptyline (66%), anesthetic blockades (18%), and onabotulinumtoxinA (11%). The drugs with the highest 50% responder rate were amitriptyline (45.5%), mirtazapine (50%), and anesthetic blockades (38.9%). The highest 75% responder rate was experienced following onabotulinumtoxinA (18.2%). In conclusion, most patients required acute medication, with triptans and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs achieving the best responses. Three-quarters of patients required preventive medication. The most frequently used drug was amitriptyline, which obtained the best results. In some treatment-resistant patients, anesthetic blockades and onabotulinumtoxinA were also beneficial.
- Published
- 2024
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