Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0018681 (headache)
 56,091 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Gabapentin is a recently introduced antiepileptic drug for the treatment of partial seizures. Although studied extensively in adults, there have been few pediatric studies. It is a unique drug because it has no protein binding, is not metabolized, and is excreted through the kidneys. There are no significant drug interactions with other antiepileptic drugs nor do other antiepileptic drugs alter the pharmacokinetics of gabapentin. The drug is effective in partial seizures, although most studies have used the drug as add-on therapy. It is approved for use of partial seizures with or without secondary generalization in patients over the age of 12 years. The side effect profile of the drug is quite good. No significant idiosyncratic reactions have been reported. The most common side effects have included dizziness, fatigue, and headache. Rarely, children will have adverse behavioral effects, such as hyperactivity and agitated behavior. Usually these children have pre-existing behavioral disturbances. Although the spectrum of efficacy of gabapentin remains to be determined, it is likely to have a major beneficial impact on the treatment of childhood epilepsy.
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PMID:Gabapentin for treatment of epilepsy in children. 932 92

A 48-year-old male suffering with SUNCT (severe unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing, rhinorrhea and sub-clinical sweating) presented in 1996 after a 10-year history of multiple failed therapies. The symptoms included strictly left-sided ocular, as well as facial and temple pain. The pain attacks were burning, sharp, shooting and occurred 25 times daily, lasting 2 to 3 minutes with tearing and conjunctival injection. There was no associated nausea or vomiting, but there was photophobia. No other autonomic changes were reported and the pain was not triggerable. Initially Indocin (indomethacin) was tried without significant benefit. Gabapentin (Neurontin) was then started with improvement at 1800 mg per day. The patient was then lost to follow-up for 3 years, as he moved from the Los Angeles area. He returned in 1999 having stopped the gabapentin after his prescription ran out in 1996, reporting the pain returned immediately. Again gabapentin was prescribed and at 900 mg three times daily he has been pain free for 12 months.
Cephalalgia 2000 Jun
PMID:SUNCT syndrome responsive to gabapentin (Neurontin). 1204 67

(1) Gabapentin is now licensed for first-line or replacement monotherapy of partial epilepsy, in patients over 12 years of age. (2) The assessment file concurs with current recommendations of medicines agencies. (3) One comparative trial of first-line monotherapy showed a similar efficacy/adverse effects ratio of gabapentin and carbamazepine. Gabapentin has not been compared with valproate sodium. (4) In one trial, involving patients with refractory epilepsy, various doses of gabapentin were added to an ongoing inadequately effective treatment, which was then gradually stopped. Gabapentin monotherapy was considered satisfactory in a minority of patients. (5) The adverse effects of gabapentin are limited to neuropsychological disorders, namely dizzy spells, drowsiness, fatigue and headache. The risk of interactions is also limited. (6) The optimal dose regimen of gabapentin is not yet established.
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PMID:Gabapentin monotherapy: new indication. Sometimes helpful. 1150 84

Prompted by the results of gabaergic drugs, such as valproate and topiramate, we performed this pilot study to assess the effect of gabapentin in cluster headache. Eight patients suffering from episodic cluster headache and four suffering from chronic cluster headache were studied. All of them had failed to respond to traditional prophylactic drugs. The design of the study was an open trial. The main parameter for effectiveness was the number of daily attacks. Gabapentin was given at the daily dosage of 900 mg. All patients were pain free after a maximum of 8 days after starting therapy, with a bout duration thus reduced to 16-40% of the average previous bouts (only applies to episodic cluster patients). We hypothesize that the gabaergic action of gabapentin, perhaps combined with other mechanisms, such as calcium channel blockade, may be responsible for its remarkable effects on cluster headache.
Cephalalgia 2001 Sep
PMID:Drug-resistant cluster headache responding to gabapentin: a pilot study. 1159 3

Migraineurs may continue to experience attacks, despite daily use of one or more agents from a wide range of drugs, including beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, serotonin antagonists, tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and antiepileptic agents. Divalproex sodium is the only antiepileptic drug approved for migraine prevention. Gabapentin, topiramate, and other antiepileptic agents are being evaluated for migraine prevention and treatment. Prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials of divalproex, gabapentin, and topiramate for migraine prevention generally were composed of a prospective baseline period, a dose titration period, and a fixed-dose treatment period. The primary efficacy variable was a reduction in the 28-day frequency of migraine headache. Patients receiving divalproex for 12 weeks at doses up to 1500 mg/day achieved significant decreases in the migraine frequency (P<.05), corresponding to reductions of 30% to 40% compared with baseline. Nearly half of the divalproex-treated patients had a 50% or more reduction from baseline in headache frequencies (P< or =.05). Asthenia, vomiting, somnolence, tremor, and alopecia were common adverse events associated with divalproex. Significant reductions in migraine frequency were also observed with gabapentin (1800 to 2400 mg/day) when compared with placebo (P<.01), and nearly half of all patients treated at the highest dose experienced a reduction in headache rate of 50% or more. Somnolence was the most commonly reported adverse event among the gabapentin-treated patients. Two single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials evaluated topiramate for migraine prevention. A lower 28-day migraine frequency was seen during 18 weeks of administration at a maximum daily dose of 200 mg (P =.09). In a second study, a significantly lower mean 28-day migraine frequency was observed during 16 weeks of treatment with topiramate (P =.0015). Mean reduction in migraine frequency was also significantly greater in topiramate-treated patients (P =.0037). Paresthesias, diarrhea, somnolence, and altered taste were commonly reported adverse events in the topiramate-treated patients. Unlike some patients given divalproex or gabapentin, some given topiramate reported weight loss. Large, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials may prove the effectiveness of novel antiepileptic drugs in migraine prevention.
Headache
PMID:Antiepileptic drugs in migraine prevention. 1190 36

Frequent, severe and long-lasting migraine attacks require prophylaxis. Established drugs used for the prevention of migraine such as beta-adrenoceptor antagonists (beta-blockers), calcium channel antagonists, antidepressants and others have an unknown mode of action in migraine. Their prophylactic effect in migraine was discovered by chance in clinical practice when these drugs were used for other purposes. Recently, research into the mechanisms of migraine and the progressive recognition that cortical hyperexcitability and an imbalance between neuronal inhibition [mediated by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] and excitation (mediated by excitatory amino acids) may play an important role in migraine pathophysiology have lead to the identification of potential new agents for the prevention of migraine attacks. This paper reviews the recent literature on these new agents. A search was conducted using MEDLINE from 1998 to November 2001 with the following search terms: migraine, preventive, prophylactic and treatment. Headache textbooks edited in 2000 and 2001 were also used. After analysing the available controlled and uncontrolled clinical studies as well as abstracts, divalproex sodium (valproate semisodium) can be recommended for the prevention of migraine. Lamotrigine may be useful for preventing aura associated with migraine, and topiramate seems a promising option pending trials with more patients, which are currently underway. Riboflavin (which is possibly involved in improving neuronal energy production) appears to be a promising agent, although comparisons with established prophylactic medications are needed. Gabapentin, magnesium, lisinopril and botulinum toxin A have recently been suggested to be effective; however, at present, there are insufficient rigorous and reliable controlled data on these drugs for them to be indicated for such use. Emerging options such as tiagabine, levetiracetam, zonisamide and petasites may all be useful, but controlled data are required to confirm their efficacy. The anti-asthma medication montelukast was found to be effective in an open trial, but ineffective in a recently completed controlled trial. There is an expectation that modern neuroscience will soon provide more efficacious and better tolerated prophylactic medications for migraine.
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PMID:New and emerging prophylactic agents for migraine. 1215 33

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effect of gabapentin in the earlier stage of reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSD). Twenty-two patients diagnosed with RSD were enrolled. Initial gabapentin dosage was 600 mg/day. This dosage is increased gradually until a satisfactory pain level was reached. After this level, this dosage was maintained throughout the study. An exercise program was also applied to the patients. Provoked and static pain scores of the patients were obtained initially, at 3-day intervals for maintenance dosage determining, and at 6 weeks after the discharge. Functional improvement parameters were volumetric measurement; dynamometric measurement and third finger pulp-distal palmar crease distance measurement for hands; and metric circumferential measurement and range of motion for elbow, knee, and foot initially, at baseline, on the tenth day, upon discharge, and 6 weeks after the discharge. The mean maintenance dose of gabapentin was 1,145.46+/-377.6 mg/day (range, 900-1,800 mg/day). Improvements in spontaneous and provoked pain intensities were statistically significant. No statistically significant difference was obtained in functional improvement parameters. Dizziness in three patients, headache in two patients, and mild burning feeling in the tongue in one patient were the reported side effects. These symptoms resolved spontaneously in few days. Gabapentin cannot be recommended as the drug of choice, but it may be considered as one of the therapeutic alternatives in the management of pain due to RSD. We suggest that it is effective only for the pain and not for other symptoms of RSD. Serious side effects that will cause the patient to stop using the drug are rare.
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PMID:The effect of gabapentin in earlier stage of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. 1689 21

Migraine is a frequent episodic condition that often requires prophylaxis treatment to reduce the severity, frequency and duration of attacks and to ameliorate disability. Migraine can be interpreted as a disorder of pain modulation, which involves the trigeminovascular system and central nervous system modulation of pain-controlling structures. Antiepileptic drugs (neuronal stabilising drugs, NSD) have been increasingly recommended for migraine prophylaxis because of several well conducted studies confirming their efficacy. Valproate, Topiramate and Gabapentin are indicated as useful drugs for migraine preventive therapy according to the results of randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Due to these positive results, neuronal stabilisation may be considered as a pivotal approach for headache therapy.
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PMID:Headache therapy with neuronal stabilising drugs. 1854 14

The trigeminal trophic syndrome is an unusual consequence of trigeminal nerve injury that results in facial anaesthesia, dysaesthesia and skin ulceration. Limited knowledge is available. The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge of this syndrome by performing a retrospective medical record review and case series report. Fourteen cases were identified. The female:male ratio was 6:1. Mean age of onset was 45 years (range 6-82). The cause was iatrogenic in most. Latent period to onset ranged from days to almost one decade. The majority (n = 12) had bothersome dysaesthesias. Most (n = 9) self-manipulated the face; a third (n = 5) did not. Most ulcers affected the second trigeminal division, mainly in the infraorbital nerve distribution. Neuropathic and/or neuralgic facial pain occurred in 50% (n = 7). Pain intensity was severe in most (n = 6). Gabapentin gave relief in two. To conclude, trigeminal trophic syndrome follows injury to the trigeminal nerve or its nuclei. For unclear reasons, most ulcerations follow infraorbital nerve distribution. Self-manipulation may contribute to ulcer development rather than being required. Gabapentin may help pain.
Cephalalgia 2008 Sep
PMID:The trigeminal trophic syndrome: an unusual cause of face pain, dysaesthesias, anaesthesia and skin/soft tissue lesions. 1855 78

Headache and migraine are common symptoms of the menopause, often associated with irregular periods, hot flashes, and night sweats. Perimenopausal women should routinely be asked about headache and migraine, so that they can be offered appropriate advice. If attacks are infrequent, it may be sufficient to optimize acute treatment strategies. Lifestyle changes, alone or combined with a nonprescription treatment such as isoflavones, may be considered, although evidence of efficacy is limited. In women with migraine and more severe menopause symptoms, continuous hormone replacement therapy should be considered, using a nonoral route and the lowest dose effective in controlling symptoms. For women who have contraindications to estrogen therapy or do not wish to use it, compounds that inhibit serotonin reuptake, such as venlafaxine, fluoxetine, and paroxetine, have all shown efficacy for the control of hot flashes and prevention of migraine. Gabapentin is another nonhormonal option that has clinical trial evidence of effectiveness in treating hot flashes and reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks. Although clonidine is licensed in several countries for migraine prophylaxis and treatment of vasomotor symptoms, any benefit from treatment is often offset by adverse events. There is evidence that hysterectomy can increase the frequency of migraine and menopause symptoms, with added morbidity and risk of mortality. Therapy should regularly be evaluated to assess its ongoing need, as hormonal triggers are self-limiting and abate after menopause.
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PMID:Headache and hormone replacement therapy in the postmenopausal woman. 1909 31


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