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)

The objective was to measure complement C'1-esterase inhibitor (C1INH) in a group of Vietnamese outpatients with headache. All 51 patients (7 males and 44 females), with either migraine or chronic tension-type headache, were evaluated during 1994 and 1995. Their ages ranged from 15 to 69 years old (mean age, 37.5 years). They were found to have low levels of C1INH (mean, 11 +/- 2 mg/dL versus control subjects, 15 +/- 2 mg/dL with p < 0.0001). Twenty patients (5 males and 15 females) were treated with a low dose of danazol, 200 mg daily for 1-2 months. The improvement of the headache coincided with the return to normal levels of C1INH in all of our patients (pretreatment, 11 +/- 2 mg/dL versus post-treatment, 16 +/- 2 mg/dL with p < 0.001). The levels of C1q and C4d/C4 ratios did not change as a result of treatment with danazol. Our patients may represent a form of androgen-responsive headache, which is associated with low levels of C1INH, normal levels of C1q and normal C4d/C4. It differentiated them from angioedema (hereditary or acquired form); they had no known precipitating factors or a family history of angioedema.
Allergy Asthma Proc
PMID:Headache and complement C'1-esterase inhibitor deficiency in Vietnamese immigrants living in southern California. 1020 91

Fexofenadine HCl (Allegra, Telfast) is approved in the US for twice-daily dosing in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR). A once-daily dose (already available in some countries outside the US) can improve patient compliance and health outcomes. This multicenter, placebo-controlled, 14-day US study was conducted to compare the safety and effectiveness of once-daily fexofenadine HCl with placebo in the treatment of patients with moderate to severe autumnal SAR symptoms. After a 1-week placebo lead-in, patients received 120 or 180 mg fexofenadine HCl or placebo at 8 A.M. Patients recorded SAR symptom severity scores instantaneously (for the 1 hour before medication; i.e., trough blood levels), and reflectively (for the previous 12 hours) at 8 A.M. and 8 P.M. The primary efficacy measure was change from baseline in average instantaneous 8 A.M. total symptom score (TSS, the sum of individual symptom scores excluding nasal congestion). In 861 intent-to-treat patients, both fexofenadine HCl doses provided significant (p < or = 0.05) improvement in 8 A.M. instantaneous TSS compared with placebo. Similarly, both fexofenadine doses were superior to placebo for reflective TSS assessments (p < or = 0.0012). There were no statistical differences in efficacy between the two fexofenadine doses, though the 180 mg dose showed a trend toward greater symptom relief. Incidence of adverse events was similar between fexofenadine and placebo groups (30.2% and 30.0%, respectively), with headache the most frequently reported adverse event (8.9% and 7.5%, respectively). In conclusion, once-daily fexofenadine HCl, 120 or 180 mg, is safe and effective in the treatment of autumnal SAR.
Allergy Asthma Proc
PMID:Safety and efficacy of once-daily fexofenadine HCl in the treatment of autumn seasonal allergic rhinitis. 1038 53

Epidemiological information on symptoms affecting extra-respiratory organs and apparatuses in asthmatic children is scarce. The aim of this study therefore was to evaluate, at a population level, if and what extra-respiratory symptoms are associated with asthma. Two questionnaire-based, cross-sectional surveys were carried out on 1,262 students (651 males; mean age 9.57 years, age-range 6-14 years) in 1992 and on 1,210 students (639 males; mean age 9.02 years, age-range 6-14 years) in 1998, from two elementary and two junior high schools in Rome, Italy. Questionnaires included queries about asthma and its risk factors and extra-respiratory symptoms (headache, restlessness, sleep disturbances, urticaria, itching, and abdominal pain). Of responders, 11.9% (279/2,342) had a history of asthma. After adjustment for gender, family history of atopic disease, low birth weight, early respiratory problems, and damp house, asthma was significantly associated with recurrent abdominal pain (odds ratio [OR] 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04, 3.16), itching (OR 3.15; 95% CI: 1.75, 5.68), and urticaria (OR 2.52; 95% CI: 1.02, 6.20). Asthma was reported by 10.2% (201/1,962) of children unaffected by this triad, by 20.1% (56/279; OR 2.20) with one of the symptoms, and by 31.6% (12/38; OR 4.04) with two or more symptoms. An emerging characteristic of pediatric asthma in our setting appears to be its association with certain extra-respiratory symptoms (abdominal pain, itching, and urticaria). A global, internistic approach to asthmatic children is increasingly required both in the clinical setting and in future epidemiological studies.
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PMID:Association of asthma with extra-respiratory symptoms in schoolchildren: two cross-sectional studies 6 years apart. 1200 Apr 83

A relationship between distance from major roads and the prevalence of allergic disorders and general symptoms among junior high school students was assessed, separating the effects of distance of residence and school from the roads. Study subjects were 5,652 students aged 12 to 15 years. This study used diagnostic criteria from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. The questionnaire also asked about symptoms of headache, stomachache, tiredness, and cough and the shortest distance from residence to major roads. Distance from school to the nearest major road was measured on a map. Adjustment was made for gender, grade, the number of older siblings, smoking in the household, and maternal history of allergy. A shorter distance between residence and major roads was associated with an increased prevalence of headache, stomachache, tiredness, and cough. There was a marginally significant positive association between residence facing major roads and the prevalence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Residence within 100 m of major roads showed a tendency for a positive relationship with the prevalence of wheeze and atopic dermatitis. There was no apparent relationship between distance of school from major roads and allergic disorders or the general symptoms. The findings suggest that proximity of residence, not school, to major roads may be associated with an increased prevalence of allergic disorders, headache, stomachache, and tiredness among Japanese adolescents. Further investigations with more precise and detailed exposure and health outcome measurements are needed to corroborate the relationship between traffic related factors and allergic disorders and general symptoms.
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PMID:Relationship between distance from major roads and adolescent health in Japan. 1246 76

During the past decade, studies on facial pain have shown that there is a distinct group of patients who have a form of facial neuralgia that has all the characteristics of tension-type headache, except that it affects the midface; it is called midfacial segment pain. The pain is described as a feeling of pressure, although some patients might feel that their nose is blocked when they have no nasal airway obstruction. Midfacial segment pain is symmetric, and it might involve areas of the nasion (the root of the nose), under the bridge of the nose, on either side of the nose, the peri- or retro-orbital regions, or across the cheeks. There might be hyperesthesia of the skin and soft tissues over the affected area. Nasal endoscopy and CT scans are typically normal. Most patients with this condition respond to low-dose amitriptyline, but noticeable improvement might require up to 6 weeks.
Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2004 May
PMID:Midfacial segment pain: implications for rhinitis and sinusitis. 1505

Sinus headache is not a recognized entity by allergy, otolaryngology, or neurological organizations. Headache is a minor feature in the diagnosis of acute rhinosinusitis and is not validated as a symptom in chronic sinusitis. Sinus headaches are self-diagnosed due to weather triggers, bilateral and frontomaxillary location, and the presence of vasomotor signs and symptoms, all of which can accompany the migraine. Over 90% of self-diagnosed and doctor-diagnosed sinus headaches meet the International Headache Society criteria for migraines, and those migraines misdiagnosed as sinus headaches respond to sumatriptan better than placebo because migraines respond to triptans. Sinus headaches are usually severely disabling migraines, misdiagnosed and mistreated, with 61% of patients receiving antibiotic prescriptions for noninfectious causes, thus failing the patients and, in addition, contributing to a serious public health problem.
Allergy Asthma Proc
PMID:New thoughts on sinus headache. 1517 92

Rhinologic headache, a headache of nasal origin, generally has been attributed to past facial trauma causing nasal mucosa-septal contact points. Patients who have not knowingly experienced nasal trauma may have contact points caused by mucosal inflammation or anatomic abnormalities (septal spurs, septal deviation, and enlarged turbinates) and can develop rhinologic headaches. A population of 66 such patients was studied to classify the type of patient susceptible to such headaches and to examine the type of underlying inflammation or anatomic abnormality responsible for creating their mucosal contact points. Most patients were women with a mean age at the time of initial presentation of 40 years. VMR was the most frequent cause of nasal inflammation, either alone or in combination with allergic rhinitis. Generally, headache symptoms improved with treatment of the underlying nasal inflammation in the majority of patients.
Allergy Asthma Proc
PMID:Rhinitis and rhinologic headaches. 1517 94

Histamine in food at non-toxic doses has been proposed to be a major cause of food intolerance causing symptoms like diarrhea, hypotension, headache, pruritus and flush ("histamine intolerance"). Histamine-rich foods such as cheese, sausages, sauerkraut, tuna, tomatoes, and alcoholic beverages may contain histamine up to 500 mg/kg. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in 10 healthy females (age range 22-36 years, mean 29.1 +/- 5.4) who were hospitalized and challenged on two consecutive days with placebo (peppermint tea) or 75 mg of pure histamine (equaling 124 mg histamine dihydrochloride, dissolved in peppermint tea). Objective parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, peak flow) as well as a total clinical symptom score using a standardized protocol were recorded at baseline, 10, 20, 40, 80 minutes, and 24 hours. The subjects received a histamine-free diet also low in allergen 24 hours before hospitalization and over the whole observation period. Blood samples were drawn at baseline, 10, 20, 40, and 80 minutes, and histamine and the histamine-degrading enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO) were determined. After histamine challenge, 5 of 10 subjects showed no reaction. One individual experienced tachycardia, mild hypotension after 20 minutes, sneezing, itching of the nose, and rhinorrhea after 60 minutes. Four subjects experienced delayed symptoms like diarrhea (4x), flatulence (3x), headache (3x), pruritus (2x) and ocular symptoms (1x) starting 3 to 24 hours after provocation. No subject reacted to placebo. No changes were observed in histamine and DAO levels within the first 80 minutes in non-reactors as well as reactors. There was no difference in challenge with histamine versus challenge with placebo. We conclude that 75 mg of pure liquid oral histamine--a dose found in normal meals--can provoke immediate as well as delayed symptoms in 50% of healthy females without a history of food intolerance.
Allergy Asthma Proc
PMID:Histamine intolerance-like symptoms in healthy volunteers after oral provocation with liquid histamine. 1560 3

Asthma is a chronic, inflammatory disorder of the airways leading to airflow limitation. Its worldwide rise, mainly in developed countries, is a matter of concern. Nocturnal asthma (NA) frequently occurs and concerns two thirds of asthmatics. But, it remains controversial whether NA is a distinct entity or is a manifestation of more severe asthma. Generally, it is considered as an exacerbation of the underlying pathology. The pathological mechanisms most likely involve endogenous circadian rhythms with pathological consequences on both respiratory inflammation and hyperresponsiveness. A decrease in blood and tissue magnesium levels is frequently reported in asthma and often testifies to a true magnesium depletion. The link with magnesium status and chronobiology are well established. The quality of magnesium status directly influences the Biological Clock (BC) function, represented by the suprachiasmatic nuclei and the pineal gland. Conversely, BC dysrythmias influence the magnesium status. Two types of magnesium deficits must be clearly distinguished: deficiency corresponding to an insufficient intake which can be corrected through mere nutritional Mg supplementation and depletion due to a dysregulation of the magnesium status which cannot be corrected through nutritional supplementation only, but requires the more or less specific correction of the dysregulation mechanisms. Both in clinical and in animal experiments, the dysregulation mechanisms of magnesium depletion associate a reduced magnesium intake with various types of stress including biological clock dysrhythmias. The differenciation between Mg depletion forms with hyperfunction of BC (HBC) and forms with hypofunction of BC (hBC) is seminal and the main biological marker is melatonin (MT) production alteration. We hypothesize that magnesium depletion with HBC or hBC may be involved in chronopathological forms of asthma. Nocturnal asthma would be linked to HBC, represented by an increase in MT levels. The corresponding clinical forms associate diverse expressions of nervous hypoexcitability such as depression, cluster headaches, dyssomnia, mainly advanced sleep phase syndrome, some clinical forms of chronic fatigue syndrome and of fibromyalgia. The main comorbidities are depression and/or asthenia. They take place during the night or the "bad" seasons (autumn and winter) when sunshine is at a minimum. The corresponding chronopathological therapy relies on bright light phototherapy sometimes with additional psychoanaleptics. Conversely, asthma forms linked to hBC are less frequently studied as a whole and present a decrease in MT levels. They associate various signs of nervous hyperexcitability such as anxiety, diurnal cephalalgia (mainly migraine), dyssomnia, mainly delayed sleep phase syndrome, and some clinical forms of chronic fatigue syndrome and of fibromyalgia. The treatment relies on diverse forms of "darkness therapy", possibly with the help of some psycholeptics. Finally, the treatment of asthma involves the maintenance of a standard dosing schedule of anti-asthma drugs, a balanced magnesium intake and the appropriate treatment of the chronopathological disorders.
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PMID:Magnesium depletion with hypo- or hyper- function of the biological clock may be involved in chronopathological forms of asthma. 1594 13

Aquagenic urticaria (AU) is a rare form of physical urticaria in which contact with water evokes hives. Extracutaneous manifestations of AU have been described but have not been controlled successfully to date. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have not been used previously in the treatment of AU. The aim of this study was to describe a case of AU with extracutaneous manifestations, to describe a novel treatment approach, and to review the literature on AU. Our patient presented with urticarial lesions and migraine-like headaches after contact with any type of water. A variety of prophylactic medications including antihistamines, anticholinergics, and SSRIs, were used and, ultimately, were successful in controlling the patient's symptoms. AU is a rare condition that can have extracutaneous manifestations. Multiple classes of medications, including SSRIs, may be necessary in the treatment and prophylaxis of such patients. Additional research is needed into the pathogenesis of AU.
Allergy Asthma Proc
PMID:Aquagenic urticaria with extracutaneous manifestations. 1611 38


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