This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Kossoff, E. H. Articles by Comi, A. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kossoff, E. H. Articles by Comi, A. M. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Self-Reported Treatment Patterns in Patients With Sturge-Weber Syndrome and Migraines

Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, Department of Pediatrics Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, ekossoff{at}jhmi.edu

Marguerite Balasta, BS

School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark

Laura M. Hatfield, BS

Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

Christoph U. Lehmann, MD

Department of Pediatrics Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland

Anne M. Comi, MD

Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, Department of Neurology, The Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, Maryland

Migraine is common in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome, yet treatment options are poorly described. An Internet-based questionnaire was completed anonymously by 104 Sturge-Weber syndrome patients, 74 of whom reported experiencing migraines (median age, 25 years; range, 3-64 years). Sixteen (22%) subjects self-reported trying triptans. Five of 12 (42%) describing triptan response believed they were very efficacious (median time of onset of 26 minutes), compared to 13 of 65 (20%) using over-the-counter analgesics (P = .08). Eighty-eight percent (14/16) of triptan users self-reported that when they do not use medications, migraines had a moderate to severe impact on their quality of life; however, while taking triptans, only 50% (7/14) of users reported such an impact (P = .03). Two patients using triptans reported transient unilateral weakness. Of the 26 patients (35%) who received daily preventative medications, 80% experienced improved quality of life. In addition, only 10 of 24 (42%) reported a significant negative impact of migraines on quality of life with daily preventative use, compared to 22 of 26 (85%) without their use (P = .002). Sturge-Weber syndrome patients with migraines are using triptans and preventative agents and self-reporting good efficacy. The small sample size precludes any safety analysis, however, and future prospective trials of both treatment options are needed.

Key Words: triptans • migraine • Sturge-Weber syndrome

Journal of Child Neurology, Vol. 22, No. 6, 720-726 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0883073807304008


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?