Calcitonin gene-related peptide-targeting therapies are a first-line option for the prevention of migraine: An American Headache Society position statement update.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a position statement update from The American Headache Society specifically regarding therapies targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) for the prevention of migraine. BACKGROUND: All migraine preventive therapies previously considered to be first-line treatments were developed for other indications and adopted later for migraine. Adherence to these therapies is often poor due to issues with efficacy and tolerability. Multiple new migraine-specific therapies have been developed based on a broad foundation of pre-clinical and clinical evidence showing that CGRP plays a key role in the pathogenesis of migraine. These CGRP-targeting therapies have had a transformational impact on the management of migraine but are still not widely considered to be first-line approaches. METHODS: Evidence regarding migraine preventive therapies including primary and secondary endpoints from randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials, post hoc analyses and open-label extensions of these trials, and prospective and retrospective observational studies were collected from a variety of sources including PubMed, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The results and conclusions based upon these results were reviewed and discussed by the Board of Directors of The American Headache Society to confirm consistency with clinical experience and to achieve consensus. RESULTS: The evidence for the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of CGRP-targeting migraine preventive therapies (the monoclonal antibodies: erenumab, fremanezumab, galcanezumab, and eptinezumab, and the gepants: rimegepant and atogepant) is substantial, and vastly exceeds that for any other preventive treatment approach. The evidence remains consistent across different individual CGRP-targeting treatments and is corroborated by extensive "real-world" clinical experience. The data indicates that the efficacy and tolerability of CGRP-targeting therapies are equal to or greater than those of previous first-line therapies and that serious adverse events associated with CGRP-targeting therapies are rare. CONCLUSION: The CGRP-targeting therapies should be considered as a first-line approach for migraine prevention along with previous first-line treatments without a requirement for prior failure of other classes of migraine preventive treatment.

Migraine.

Migraine affects about 1 billion people worldwide, and up to 15% of adults in the United States have migraine attacks in any given year. Migraine is associated with substantial adverse socioeconomic and personal effects. It is the second leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide for all ages and the leading cause in women aged 15 to 49 years. Diagnostic uncertainty increases the likelihood of unnecessary investigations and suboptimal management. This article advises clinicians about diagnosing migraine, ruling out secondary headache disorders, developing acute and preventive treatment plans, and deciding when to refer the patient to a specialist.

Educational initiatives in headache medicine: A 20-year scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Headache disorders are among the most common and disabling medical conditions worldwide, have a great societal impact and are a common reason to seek medical care. Headache disorders are often misdiagnosed and undertreated, and the number of headache fellowship-trained physicians cannot meet patient demand. Educational initiatives for non-headache-specialist clinicians may be an avenue to increase clinician competency and patient access to appropriate management. OBJECTIVE: To undertake a scoping review of the educational initiatives in headache medicine for medical students, trainees, general practitioners/primary care physicians, and neurologists. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for scoping reviews, an author (M.D.), with the help of a medical librarian, conducted a search of the Embase, Ovid Medline, and PsychInfo databases for articles related to medical educational initiatives on headache medicine in medical students, residents, and physicians over the last 20 years. RESULTS: A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria for this scoping review. Six articles were identified for medical students, seven for general practitioners/primary care physicians, one for emergency medicine residents, two for neurology residents, and one for neurologists. Certain educational initiatives were headache-focused while others had headaches as one of the educational topics. Educational content was delivered and assessed via diverse and innovative means, such as flipped classroom, simulation, theatrical performance, repeated quizzing and study, and a formalized headache elective. CONCLUSION: Education initiatives in headache medicine are important to improve competency and patient access to appropriate management of various headache disorders. Future research should focus on using innovative and evidence-based methods of content delivery, knowledge, and procedural assessment, and evaluating changes in practice behaviors.

Lifetime history of an anxiety or depression disorder and adherence to medications used for the acute treatment of migraine.

OBJECTIVE: In this secondary analysis of mobile health headache diary data, we evaluated the relationship between adherence to medication used for the acute treatment of migraine and lifetime history of an anxiety or depression disorder. BACKGROUND: Medication non-adherence can produce poor clinical efficacy and may be associated with medication overuse. Medication overuse was defined by taking a migraine-specific medication (MSM) for ≥10 days/month, an opioid or barbiturate for ≥10 days/month, or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for ≥15 days/month and having ≥15 headache days/month. Extant literature predominantly evaluates fixed-schedule medication adherence. Little is known about predictors of adherence to as-needed medication such as those used for the acute treatment of migraine. METHODS: Adults with prior migraine diagnosis and at least 4 headache days/month completed baseline questionnaires assessing lifetime history of depression or anxiety disorder diagnoses and were asked to record 90 days of once-daily electronic headache diaries soliciting: Headache occurrence; symptoms; medication taken, if any, for the acute treatment of migraine; and their pain level (mild, moderate, severe) when the medication was taken. The 193 participants who completed ≥30 days of headache diary were included in this secondary analysis. RESULTS: A MSM was used as the first medication taken on 45.7% (2825/6176) of headache days. Nearly a quarter of the sample (45/193, 23.3%) overused medications for acute treatment of migraine. Medication overuse was more common in patients with a history of an anxiety disorder, odds ratio (OR) 2.01 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-3.69), but this relationship was not significant when headache days were accounted for, OR 2.02 (95% CI 0.83-4.91). Neither a history of a depression disorder, OR 1.40 (95% CI 0.90-2.16), nor an anxiety disorder, OR 1.11 (95% CI 0.71-1.72), was associated with taking medications early; however, duration of self-monitoring was associated with taking MSM early, OR 1.006 (95% CI 1.004-1.009). CONCLUSION: Lifetime history of depression and anxiety were not associated with taking a MSM early. Medication overuse may be more common in patients who have both migraine and anxiety. Taking a MSM early improved over time for all participants, even when adjusting for a history of an anxiety and or a depression disorder.

Spontaneous Intracranial Hypotension in Pregnancy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a debilitating disease typically featuring orthostatic headache and caused by a spinal CSF leak. This review will describe the characteristics of SIH in pregnant patients and the associated unique management and treatment considerations. RECENT FINDINGS: Herein, a novel case is reported of a 41-year-old woman who presented with SIH pre-conception but saw marked improvement of symptoms after 5 weeks antepartum and symptom recurrence 2 months post-partum. A literature review of SIH in pregnancy revealed 14 reported patients across 10 studies since 2000. All the reported cases resulted in delivery of healthy infants and symptomatic improvement with conservative management or a variety of treatment modalities including non-targeted epidural blood patch (EBP). Clinical and imaging features of SIH in pregnancy are reviewed. We hypothesize an antenatal protective mechanism against SIH symptoms through cephalad redistribution of CSF volume from the spinal to intracranial compartments related to uterine growth and decreased CSF volume within the lumbar cistern. Treatment recommendations are discussed including duration of bed rest and decision for non-targeted multi-site EBPs. When required, non-invasive diagnostic spine MRI using fat-suppressed axial T2-weighted imaging may be helpful.

Secondary Headache Disorders: Approach, Workup, and Special Considerations for Select Populations.

Headache is one of the most common diagnoses in neurology. A thorough understanding of the clinical presentation of secondary headache, which can be life-threatening, is critical. This review provides an overview of the diagnostic approach to a patient with headache, including discussion of "red," "orange," and "green" flags. We emphasize particular scenarios to help tailor the clinical workup to individual circumstances such as in pregnant women, when particular attention must be paid to the effects of blood pressure and hypercoagulability, as well as in older adults, where there is a need for higher suspicion for an intracranial mass lesion or giant cell arteritis. Patients with risk factors for headache secondary to alterations in intracranial pressure, whether elevated (e.g., idiopathic intracranial hypertension) or decreased (e.g., cerebrospinal fluid leak), may require more specific diagnostic testing and treatment. Finally, headache in patients with COVID-19 or long COVID-19 is increasingly recognized and may have multiple etiologies.

The unique role of stigma in migraine-related disability and quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Stigma is increasingly recognized as an important social feature of living with migraine. METHODS: Adults with migraine recruited from neurology offices completed the validated Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses 8-item version (SSCI-8); two outcome measures (the Migraine Disability Assessment [MIDAS] and the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire v 2.1 [MSQ]); and measures of allodynia (Allodynia Symptom Checklist [ASC-12]), pain cognition (Pain Catastrophizing Scale [PCS]), and psychiatric symptoms (Patient Reported Measurement Information System Anxiety [PROMIS-A] and Depression [PROMIS-D]). Pearson and Spearman correlations evaluated bivariate relationships, and linear (MSQ) and logistic (MIDAS Severe Disability, scores ≥21) regressions evaluated the unique variance associated with SSCI-8 beyond other study variables. Conditional process analysis evaluated mediation hypotheses between study variables. RESULTS: Participants (n = 121) reported levels of stigma on par with other chronic illnesses (SSCI-8 M = 53.0, standard deviation [SD] = 7.8), with 25/127 (19.6%) reporting clinically significant levels of stigma (SSCI-8 T-score ≥ 60). Higher SSCI-8 scores were associated with higher monthly headache day frequency (r = 0.35), MIDAS (ρ = 0.41), ASC-12 (r = 0.24, p < 0.01), PCS (r = 0.46), both PROMIS-A (r = 0.43) and D (r = 0.42), and lower MSQ subscale scores (Role Restriction r = -0.50; Role Prevention r = -0.48; Emotion Function r = -0.50), all ps <0.001 unless otherwise noted. The SSCI-8 contributed significantly beyond migraine symptoms and other psychological factors for MSQ Emotion Function (5% unique variance) and MIDAS Severe Disability (6% of unique variance). The SSCI-8 mediated relationships between headache frequency and the MSQ subscales and MIDAS Severe Disability. The PCS mediated relationships between the SSCI-8 and MSQ subscales. The PROMIS-D mediated relationships between the SSCI-8 and MSQ Role Restriction and MSQ Role Prevention. CONCLUSIONS: Migraine stigma has medium to large associations with migraine outcomes and psychiatric symptoms and is independently associated with migraine disability and emotion-related quality of life. Migraine stigma is an important contributor to the relationship between headache frequency and migraine outcomes.

Headache Education Adaptation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impact on Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Our goal was to describe the changes to headache and neurological education that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact this had on medical learners. We also discuss subsequent implications for the future of education in the field of headache medicine. RECENT FINDINGS: Both educators and learners faced many challenges during the pandemic. These include the following: cancellation of in-person educational meetings, limited in-person networking and wellness events, disengagement from virtual didactic curricula, limitations in procedure-based learning, redeployment to inpatient settings with a decrease in outpatient exposures, and blurred boundaries between home and work life due to more virtual collaboration and home computer use. The development of telehealth programs and trainee wellness initiatives, improved collaboration opportunities among geographically distant institutions, and greater access to conferences for learners are among the many improvements forged by these challenging times in medical education. Given the high prevalence of headache disorders and the paucity of headache specialists, training new clinicians with competency in headache medicine is essential. There were many educational challenges and opportunities identified in the literature that resulted from the pressures of the pandemic. Educators need to develop assessments that capture any gaps in learning that may have occurred during this tumultuous time and be vigilant of remediation needs in our learners over the coming years. It is imperative to intentionally design curricula for the future by harnessing new pedagogical tools, innovations, and perspectives gleaned from our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cognitive Impairment in Primary and Secondary Headache Disorders.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To critically evaluate the recent literature on cognitive impairment and headache. RECENT FINDINGS: Neurocognitive symptoms are prevalent, debilitating, and occur often with both primary and secondary headache disorders. This is a "narrative review of the current literature in PubMed on cognitive function and headache." Migraine is associated with cognitive impairment years before a migraine diagnosis. In young and middle-aged adults, migraine is associated with deficits in attention, executive function, processing speed, and memory. It is unlikely that migraine is associated with dementia. Although methodologically difficult to assess, there does not seem to be an association between tension-type headache and cognitive dysfunction. In early to midlife, cluster headache seems to be associated with executive dysfunction. Several secondary headache syndromes relevant to clinicians managing headache disorders are associated with poorer cognitive performance or distinctive cognitive patterns, including those attributed to chronic cerebral or systemic vascular disorders, trauma, and derangements of intracranial pressure and volume, including frontotemporal brain sagging syndrome.

The American Headache Society Consensus Statement: Update on integrating new migraine treatments into clinical practice.

OBJECTIVE: To incorporate recent research findings, expert consensus, and patient perspectives into updated guidance on the use of new acute and preventive treatments for migraine in adults. BACKGROUND: The American Headache Society previously published a Consensus Statement on the use of newly introduced treatments for adults with migraine. This update, which is based on the expanded evidence base and emerging expert consensus concerning postapproval usage, provides practical recommendations in the absence of a formal guideline. METHODS: This update involved four steps: (1) review of data about the efficacy, safety, and clinical use of migraine treatments introduced since the previous Statement was published; (2) incorporation of these data into a proposed update; (3) review and commentary by the Board of Directors of the American Headache Society and patients and advocates associated with the American Migraine Foundation; (4) consideration of these collective insights and integration into an updated Consensus Statement. RESULTS: Since the last Consensus Statement, no evidence has emerged to alter the established principles of either acute or preventive treatment. Newly introduced acute treatments include two small-molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonists (ubrogepant, rimegepant); a serotonin (5-HT1F ) agonist (lasmiditan); a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (celecoxib oral solution); and a neuromodulatory device (remote electrical neuromodulation). New preventive treatments include an intravenous anti-CGRP ligand monoclonal antibody (eptinezumab). Several modalities, including neuromodulation (electrical trigeminal nerve stimulation, noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation, single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation) and biobehavioral therapy (cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback, relaxation therapies, mindfulness-based therapies, acceptance and commitment therapy) may be appropriate for either acute and/or preventive treatment; a neuromodulation device may be appropriate for acute migraine treatment only (remote electrical neuromodulation). CONCLUSIONS: The integration of new treatments into clinical practice should be informed by the potential for benefit relative to established therapies, as well as by the characteristics and preferences of individual patients.

Neurological Causes of Chest Pain.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Chest pain is a very common presenting complaint among patients in the hospital, a large proportion of whom have non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP). Neurological causes of NCCP have not been previously reviewed although several causes have been identified. RECENT FINDINGS: Chest pain has been reported as a symptom of multiple neurological conditions such as migraine, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis, with varying clinical presentations. The affected patients are often not formally diagnosed for long periods of time due to difficulties in recognizing the symptoms as part of neurological disease processes. This paper will briefly summarize well-known etiologies of chest pain and, then, review neurological causes of NCCP, providing an overview of current literature and possible pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review provides an updated discussion on the clinical presentation, diagnosis and radiographic features, mechanisms, associations and epidemiology, treatment, and prognosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). Headache is common in PRES, though headache associated with PRES was not identified as a separate entity in the 2018 International Classification of Headache Disorders. Here, we review the relevant literature and suggest criteria for consideration of its inclusion. RECENT FINDINGS: COVID-19 has been identified as a potential risk factor for PRES, with a prevalence of 1-4% in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection undergoing neuroimaging, thus making a discussion of its identification and treatment particularly timely given the ongoing global pandemic at the time of this writing. PRES is a neuro-clinical syndrome with specific imaging findings. The clinical manifestations of PRES include headache, seizures, encephalopathy, visual disturbances, and focal neurologic deficits. Associations with PRES include renal failure, preeclampsia and eclampsia, autoimmune conditions, and immunosuppression. PRES is theorized to be a syndrome of disordered autoregulation and endothelial dysfunction resulting in preferential hyperperfusion of the posterior circulation. Treatment typically focuses on treating the underlying cause and removal of the offending agents.

CSF-Venous Fistula.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an update on recent developments in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of CSF-venous fistula (CVF). RECENT FINDING: CVF is a recently recognized cause of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH), an important secondary headache, in which an aberrant connection is formed between the spinal subarachnoid space and an adjacent spinal epidural vein permitting unregulated loss of CSF into the circulatory system. CVFs often occur without a concurrent epidural fluid collection; therefore, CVF should be considered as a potential etiology for patients with SIH symptomatology but without an identifiable CSF leak. Imaging plays a critical role in the detection and localization of CVFs, with a number of imaging techniques and provocative maneuvers described in the literature to facilitate their localization for targeted and definitive treatment. Increasing awareness and improving the localization of CVFs can allow for improved outcomes in the SIH patient population. Future prospective studies are needed to determine the diagnostic performance of currently available imaging techniques as well as their ability to inform workup and guide treatment decisions.

Bruxism in Acute Neurologic Illness.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: While traditionally encountered in ambulatory settings, bruxism occurs in patients with a variety of acute neurologic illnesses including encephalitis, intracerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, and acute ischemic stroke. Untreated bruxism in acute neurologic illness can lead to tooth loss, difficulty in mouth care resulting in recurrent aspiration pneumonia, endotracheal tube dislodgement, and even tongue laceration or amputation. Inpatient clinicians should be aware of the etiologies and management strategies for bruxism secondary to acute neurologic illness. RECENT FINDINGS: Management strategies for bruxism are varied and include pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies in addition to onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNT-A). Bruxism impacts patients with a variety of acute neurologic illnesses, and emerging evidence suggests successful and safe treatment strategies.

The status of neurology fellowships in the United States: clinical needs, educational barriers, and future outlooks.

The need for subspecialty-trained neurologists is growing in parallel with increasing disease burden. However, despite the immense burden of neurological diseases, like headache and neurodegenerative disorders, recruitment into these subspecialties remains insufficient in the United States. In this manuscript, a group of educators from the American Academy of Neurology's A.B. Baker Section on Neurological Education sought to review and discuss the current landscape of neurology fellowships in the United States, the factors driving fellowship recruitment and the educational barriers. Moreover, suggestions to potentially improve recruitment for under-selected fellowships, which can contribute towards an alignment between neurological education and neurological needs, and future educational scenarios are discussed.

Diagnosis and Management of Headache: A Review.

IMPORTANCE: Approximately 90% of people in the US experience headache during their lifetime. Migraine is the second leading cause of years lived with disability worldwide. OBSERVATIONS: Primary headache disorders are defined as headaches that are unrelated to an underlying medical condition and are categorized into 4 groups: migraine, tension-type headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, and other primary headache disorders. Studies evaluating prevalence in more than 100 000 people reported that tension-type headache affected 38% of the population, while migraine affected 12% and was the most disabling. Secondary headache disorders are defined as headaches due to an underlying medical condition and are classified according to whether they are due to vascular, neoplastic, infectious, or intracranial pressure/volume causes. Patients presenting with headache should be evaluated to determine whether their headache is most likely a primary or a secondary headache disorder. They should be evaluated for symptoms or signs that suggest an urgent medical problem such as an abrupt onset, neurologic signs, age 50 years and older, presence of cancer or immunosuppression, and provocation by physical activities or postural changes. Acute migraine treatment includes acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and combination products that include caffeine. Patients not responsive to these treatments may require migraine-specific treatments including triptans (5-HT1B/D agonists), which eliminate pain in 20% to 30% of patients by 2 hours, but are accompanied by adverse effects such as transient flushing, tightness, or tingling in the upper body in 25% of patients. Patients with or at high risk for cardiovascular disease should avoid triptans because of vasoconstrictive properties. Acute treatments with gepants, antagonists to receptors for the inflammatory neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide, such as rimegepant or ubrogepant, can eliminate headache symptoms for 2 hours in 20% of patients but have adverse effects of nausea and dry mouth in 1% to 4% of patients. A 5-HT1F agonist, lasmiditan, is also available for acute migraine treatment and appears safe in patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Preventive treatments include antihypertensives, antiepileptics, antidepressants, calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies, and onabotulinumtoxinA, which reduce migraine by 1 to 3 days per month relative to placebo. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Headache disorders affect approximately 90% of people during their lifetime. Among primary headache disorders, migraine is most debilitating and can be treated acutely with analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, triptans, gepants, and lasmiditan.

COVID-19 and Headache: A Primer for Trainees.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize for the trainee audience the possible mechanisms of headache in patients with COVID-19 as well as to outline the impact of the pandemic on patients with headache disorders and headache medicine in clinical practice. BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, of which a large subset of patients features neurological symptoms, commonly headache. The virus is highly contagious and is, therefore, changing clinical practice by forcing limitations on in-person visits and procedural treatments, more quickly shifting toward the widespread adaptation of telemedicine services. DESIGN/RESULTS: We review what is currently known about the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and how it relates to possible mechanisms of headache, including indirect, potential direct, and secondary causes. Alternative options for the treatment of patients with headache disorders and the use of telemedicine are also explored. CONCLUSIONS: Limited information exists regarding the mechanisms and timing of headache in patients with COVID-19, though causes relate to plausible direct viral invasion of the nervous system as well as the cytokine release syndrome. Though headache care in the COVID-19 era requires alterations, the improved preventive treatment options now available and evidence for feasibility and safety of telemedicine well positions clinicians to take care of such patients, especially in the COVID-19 epicenter of New York City.

A Randomized, Double-Dummy, Emergency Department-Based Study of Greater Occipital Nerve Block With Bupivacaine vs Intravenous Metoclopramide for Treatment of Migraine.

BACKGROUND: Greater occipital nerve blocks (GONB) are used increasingly to treat acute migraine. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to determine whether GONB was as effective as intravenous metoclopramide for migraine. METHODS: This was a double-dummy, double-blind, parallel-arm, non-inferiority study conducted in 2 emergency departments (EDs). Patients with migraine of moderate or severe intensity were randomized to receive bilateral GONB with each side administered 3 mL of bupivacaine 0.5% or metoclopramide 10 mg IV, the putative standard of care. The primary outcome was improvement in pain on a 0-10 scale between time 0 and 1 hour later. To reject the null hypothesis that metoclopramide would be more efficacious in relieving pain, we required that the lower limit of the 95% CI for the difference in pain improvement between those randomized to GONB vs those randomized to metoclopramide be >-1.3, a validated minimum clinically important difference. Secondary outcomes included sustained headache relief, defined as achieving and maintaining for 48 hours a headache level of mild or none without the use of additional analgesic medication, and the use of rescue medication in the ED. RESULTS: Over a 2.5-year study period, 1358 patients were screened for participation and 99 were randomized, 51 to GONB and 48 to metoclopramide. All of these patients were included in the primary analysis. Patients who received the GONB reported mean improvement of 5.0 (95% CI: 4.1, 5.8) while those who received metoclopramide reported a larger mean improvement of 6.1 (95% CI: 5.2, 6.9). The 95% CI for the between group difference of -1.1 was -2.3, 0.1. Sustained headache relief was reported by 11/51 (22%) GONB and 18/47 (38%) metoclopramide patients (95% CI for rounded difference of 17%: -1, 35%). Of the 51 GONB patients, 17 (33%) required rescue medication in the ED vs 8/48 (17%) metoclopramide patients (95% CI for rounded difference of 17%: 0, 33%). An adverse event was reported by 16/51 (31%) GONB patients and 18/48 (38%) metoclopramide patients (95% CI for (rounded) difference of 6%: -13, 25%). CONCLUSION: GONB with bupivacaine was not as efficacious as IV metoclopramide for the first-line treatment of migraine in the ED.

Efficacy and Feasibility of Behavioral Treatments for Migraine, Headache, and Pain in the Acute Care Setting.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This narrative review examines the use of behavioral interventions for acute treatment of headache and pain in the emergency department (ED)/urgent care (UC) and inpatient settings. RECENT FINDINGS: Behavioral interventions demonstrate reductions of pain and associated disability in headache, migraine, and other conditions in the outpatient setting. Behavioral treatments may be a useful addition for patients presenting with acute pain to hospitals and emergency departments. We review challenges and limitations and offer suggestions for implementation of behavioral interventions in the acute setting. Some evidence exists for relaxation-based treatments, mindfulness-based treatments, hypnosis/self-hypnosis, and immersive virtual reality for acute pain, migraine, and headache. There are few high-quality studies on behavioral treatments in the inpatient and emergency department settings. Further research is warranted to determine the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Given the general safety and cost-effectiveness of behavioral interventions, healthcare professionals may want to include these therapies in treatment plans.

Migraine Treatment in Pregnant Women Presenting to Acute Care: A Retrospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the acute treatment of pregnant women presenting to a hospital with migraine. BACKGROUND: Migraine is a common problem in pregnancy; however, migraine treatment is challenging in pregnant women for fears of medication teratogenicity and lack of data in this population. To date, no study has directly explored physician practices for treatment of acute migraine in pregnant women. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of medication administration for pregnant women who presented to an acute care setting with a migraine attack and received neurology consultation between 2009 and 2014. RESULTS: We identified 72 pregnant women with migraine who were treated with pain medications. Fifty-one percent (37/72) were in the third trimester of pregnancy, 39% (28/72) in the second trimester, and 10% (7/72) in the first trimester. Thirty-two percent (23/72) had not tried any acute medications at home before coming to the hospital, and 47% (34/72) presented in status migrainosus. Patients received treatment in the hospital for a median of 23 hours (interquartile range = 5-45 hours). The most common medications prescribed were metoclopramide in 74% (53/72) of patients (95% confidence interval [CI] 62-82%) and acetaminophen in 69% (50/72) of patients (95% CI 58-79%). Metoclopramide was administered along with diphenhydramine in 81% (44/53) of patients (95% CI 71-91%). Acetaminophen was the most frequent medicine administered first (53%, 38/72). Patients were often treated with butalbital (35%, 25/72) or opioids (30%, 22/72), which were used as second- or third-line treatments in 29% of patients (20/72). Thirty-eight percent (27/72) received an intravenous (IV) fluid bolus, 24% received IV magnesium (17/72), and 6% (4/72) had peripheral nerve blocks performed. CONCLUSIONS: While the majority of pregnant women with acute migraine received medications considered relatively safe in pregnancy, there was variation in treatment choice and sequence. Some acute medications considered potentially hazardous for fetal health and less effective for migraine (opioids and butalbital) were used frequently, whereas other treatments that may have low teratogenic risk (nerve blocks, IV fluid boluses, and triptans) were used less or not at all. These results indicate a need for developing guidelines and protocols to standardize acute treatment of migraine in pregnancy.