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Query: UMLS:C0018681 (headache)
 56,091 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) is the result of infarct of the optic nerve head, caused by occlusion of one or more short posterior ciliary arteries. On the base of different treatment and prognosis there are two forms of AION: arteritic and non-arteritic (NAION). Arteritic ischemic optic neuropathy is caused by giant cell arteritis (GCA). The most typical symptoms are: the sudden and deep vision loss and headache, scalp tenderness, jaw claudication, muscle ache, fever and weight loss. The ophthalmologist usually finds an abnormal pupil, a swollen optic nerve (disc edema), and peripheral or central vision loss (or both). About 70% of cases are not progressive, i.e., the vision remains stable, but reduced. The ESR is usually markedly elevated. Temporal artery biopsy is useful in confirming the diagnosis of arteritic AION. Treatment involves the immediate administration of systemic steroids. Though steroid therapy rarely results in the return of vision, it is beneficial in protecting the fellow eye from vision loss and improving long-term systemic health.
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PMID:[Optic nerve neuropathy in the course of giant cell arteritis]. 1455 90

To return to the case vignette, the new onset of headache in a 74-year-old woman with anemia and a markedly elevated ESR should alert the physician to the strong possibility of giant cell arteritis. Vision loss is the most significant potential early complication. Temporal artery biopsy is indicated, and treatment with corticosteroids should be started immediately. Close monitoring of the patient's symptoms and laboratory parameters is critical, as is surveillance for potential late complications.
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PMID:Heeding clues to giant cell arteritis. Prompt response can prevent vision loss. 1517 Oct 82

A 52-year-old man developed fever, headache, tinnitus, and painful joints. He reported a tick bite contracted during a summer holiday in the Netherlands, followed by erythema on his left arm three weeks earlier. Initial treatment with doxycycline had failed and he had now developed signs of meningoencephalitis. Laboratory tests showed an increased white cell count (16.1 x 10(9)/1), and elevated ESR (51/1h).
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PMID:Recurrent splinter haemorrhages weeks after a tick bite. 1555 3

We describe a 70-year-old woman with a 2-month history of a numb chin and gradually increasing bilateral headache and malaise. Neurological examination disclosed chin hypoesthesia while investigations showed a normocytic anemia, ESR of 100, and CRP of 72. A CT brain scan, chest X-ray, and bone scan showed no evidence of malignancy. Temporal arteritis was suspected and prednisolone started with prompt resolution of the headache, chin hypoesthesia, ESR, and CRP. This case illustrates an unusual etiology of the numb chin syndrome, which in most occasions is associated with malignancy. Temporal arteritis should be borne in mind as a possible explanation for this as it is a treatable condition with potentially serious, life-threatening complications.
Headache
PMID:The numb chin syndrome as an early manifestation of giant-cell (temporal) arteritis: a case report. 1632 76

Voriconazole is the second oral drug licensed for the treatment of aspergillosis. A retrospective non-comparative study was conducted in 16 patients with chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis (CCPA) treated with voriconazole. All patients had failed or were intolerant of itraconazole. The duration of therapy varied from 3 days to 16.5 months. Eleven patients received at least 3 months of therapy with no significant adverse events. Overall seven (64%) patients had a response at 3 months as assessed by at least some fall in inflammatory markers, weight gain and reduction in pulmonary symptoms and two (18%) remained stable. Inflammatory markers improved in 5/11 (46%) with a mean fall in CRP of 0.08 mg/l and ESR of 12.8 mm/h. Aspergillus precipitins were quantitated by numbers of arcs and serum dilution and 11 (100%) showed improvement of at least one band or fall of titre. Total serum IgE was elevated (>200 IU/mL) in 5/11, and fell by a median of 118 kIU/l. Two patients failed therapy. Of the 17 patients, five (27%) had to discontinue therapy as a result of adverse events (three in under 1 week). Adverse events included erythematous rash (5), headaches (4), hepatotoxicity (3), photosensitive rash (3), retinal flashes (3) and neurological symptoms (3). Voriconazole is a useful alternative therapy for CCPA, with a response rate of 64%, over 3 months, and continuing partial remission of disease for much longer periods.
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PMID:The efficacy and tolerability of voriconazole in the treatment of chronic cavitary pulmonary aspergillosis. 1642 2

Giant cell arteritis (arteritis temporalis) is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in the elderly. A series of symptoms such as new-onset headache, jaw claudication, proximal myalgia, weight loss, and fever may lead to the diagnosis. However, there is also a silent or occult presentation with minor or no systemic symptoms, especially no headache. A number of laboratory values (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP, fibrinogen, thrombocytes, and cardiolipin antibodies) indicate giant cell arteritis, but none of this proves the diagnosis. Temporal artery biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis of giant cell arteritis. Due to skip lesions, a negative result does not exclude the diagnosis. The most important complication of giant cell arteritis is visual loss in one or both eyes due to AION or retinal artery occlusion. Usually, visual loss is irreversible even with therapy. Corticosteroids are the drug of choice to treat giant cell arteritis. Therapy is required for a long time, monitored by parameters of inflammation (ESR, CRP).
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PMID:[Temporal arteritis (giant cell arteritis). Clinical picture, histology, and treatment]. 1655 35

Case report of a 66-year-old woman with episodes of amaurosis fugax and hemicranic headache with otherwise normal ophthalmologic and neurological examinations and normal imaging. While ESR was in the normal range for patient's age, acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein and fibrinogen) were elevated. Giant cell arteritis was proved by temporal artery biopsy. Giant cell arteritis should be considered as an important differential diagnosis of amaurosis fugax even in patients with normal ESR. Acute phase protein testing can give relevant diagnostic information.
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PMID:[Amaurosis fugax with elevated acute phase proteins]. 1798 30

Hemicrania continua (HC) is an indomethacin responsive primary headache disorder. Secondary or symptomatic HC is associated with another neurological or non-neurological disease. We report three patients with secondary HC. We also review the literature to identify the clinical predictors of an underlying disease entity. Intracranial structural lesion, head and neck vessel pathology, and carcinoma lung should be suspected in every patient. The factors that may suggest a secondary pathology are: elderly age, male sex, smoking habit, constitutional symptoms, symptoms related to respiratory system, frequent and short-lived exacerbation, nocturnal exacerbation, HC evolving from remitting form, recent neck and/or head trauma, miosis, elevated ESR, and fading effect of indomethacin. We recommend MRI brain in all the patients presenting with HC or HC like headache. Angiography and CT chest are two other investigations that may be supplemented in patients with high risk for head/neck vessel pathology and carcinoma lung.
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PMID:Secondary hemicrania continua: Case reports and a literature review. 1921 45

Brucellosis which is a endemic in Turkey, is a systemic infection which can affect any organ or system in the body. Since signs and symptoms of brucellosis resemble many other diseases, misdiagnosis and related increase in morbidity rate, are common. In this report, a case of brucellosis complicated with endocarditis, pyelonephritis, sacroileitis and thyroiditis, was presented. The case was a 32-years-old female patient in whom the diagnosis of brucellosis was delayed by 12 months since it was not taken into consideration during the clinical follow-up of the patient in various clinical centers. The patient was admitted to our center with the complaints of fever, headache, back pain, night sweats, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, dysuria and polyuria. The patient had a history of consumption of raw milk and dairy products. Positive Brucella tube agglutination test (1/1280) and isolation of Brucella spp. in blood cultures led to the diagnosis of brucellosis. Sacroileitis was diagnosed upon pain on right hip joint movements, pain and restriction at the same joint in FABER test. The detection of vegetation during echocardiography, cardiac murmur during physical examination and the determination of increased ESR and CRP levels led to the diagnosis of endocarditis. Abdominal ultrasonography and urinalysis results (hematuria, proteinuria and pyuria) revealed pyelonephritis and increased free T3 and T4, decreased TSH and positive anti-thyroid autoantibodies (anti-TG, anti-TPO) revealed thyroiditis. Treatment was started with combination of rifampisin (1 x 600 mg/day) and doxycycline (2 x 100 mg/day). After the diagnosis of endocarditis, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (3 x 960 mg/day) and streptomycin (1 x 1 g/day) were added to the treatment. Valve replacement surgery was planned, however, the patient didn't accept surgical intervention and antimicrobial treatment continued with streptomycin for 21 days and other antibiotics for six months. The patient exhibited significant improvement after the medical treatment. Although sacroileitis is a frequent complication of brucellosis, endocarditis, thyroiditis and pyelonephritis are among the rare complications. In cases of brucellosis with multiorgan involvement including endocarditis, successful results may be achieved by aggressive antimicrobial treatment. In endemic areas, brucellosis should always be taken into consideration in patients with fever of unknown origin and multisystem involvement.
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PMID:[A case of brucellosis complicated with endocarditis, pyelonephritis, sacroileitis and thyroiditis]. 1933 91

Medical statements from previous epidemiologic studies consider temporal arteritis as extremely rare or absent in Hispanic patients. A probable genetic protective condition was proposed as an explanation for this. We performed a descriptive observational, retrospective, comparable and not randomized study in the southern region of Puerto Rico (Ponce Area). The period for recollection of data was July/2002 to March/2004. We reviewed all the information of the clinical charts of patients diagnosed with temporal arteritis who were seen in the medical offices of one internist and two rheumatologists of the teaching staff of Damas Hospital. The subjects of our study consisted of 11 patients (8 female and 3 male), between the ages of 70 to 90, all of Hispanic origin, with a diagnosis of temporal arteritis. Frequencies and percentages were used to describe the data of the study. Headache was the most common symptom. Other symptoms included the presence of fatigue, malaise, anorexia, scalp tenderness, amaurosis fugax and decreased vision. Laboratory results showed the presence of a mild leukocytosis and anemia in most of the patients. Renal and liver functions were observed to be well-preserved, and serum electrolyte levels were within normal limits. The increase of the ESR and C Reactive Protein values and positive unilateral and bilateral biopsy studies were statistically significant. All of the above characterization of Hispanic population with temporal arteritis cited in our study correlates well with the classic description of the disease in previous epidemiological studies conducted on non-Hispanic subjects. Our study confirmed the presence of temporal arteritis in a Hispanic population. The disease was more prevalent in women than men, with a female to male ratio of 2:6, which is the lowest ratio found for this disease compared to previous epidemiological studies. In our study group, the disease was found in patients over 70 years of age, with a mean age of 75.7. Arterial hypertension was the most commonly associated condition in our patients, probably due to its high prevalence in our community. The clinical characteristics of our patients correlate closely with the previous data from other ethnic groups.
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PMID:Temporal arteritis in Puerto Rico Hispanics. 1961 May 72


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