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Peri-ictal and inter-ictal headache in children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy: a multicenter cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Purpose

Headache in epileptic population ranges from 8% to 15%. The aim of this paper was to study the clinical and temporal characteristics of primary headache comorbidity in idiopathic epileptic children.

Methods

From June 2006 to June 2009, a cross-sectional multi-center study involving five Italian Child Neurology University Centers (two in Rome, one in Chieti, one in Naples, and one in L'Aquila) was conducted. Among 1,264 consecutively newly diagnosed, idiopathic, partial, or generalized, epileptic children, according to ILAE diagnostic criteria (aged between 5 and 15 years of age), we selected 142 children (11.2%) (130 of whom completed the study) who showed an associated peri-ictal and/or inter-ictal headache diagnosed according to the International Headache Society Criteria. Rare cases of “ictal epileptic headache”, in which headache represents the sole ictal epileptic manifestation, were excluded from this study.

Results and conclusions

Post-ictal headaches were most frequent (62%). Pre-ictal headaches were less common (30%). Inter-ictal headaches were described in 57.6%. Clear migrainous features were present in 93% of pre-ictal and 81.4% of post-ictal headaches. Inter-ictal headaches meet criteria for migraines in 87%. The association between partial epilepsy and migraine without aura is most common and reported in 82% of our patients with peri-ictal headache and in 76.5% of patients with post-ictal headache.

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Conflict of interest

We have no conflict of interest in publishing this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy

    Alberto Verrotti & Alessia Di Fonzo

  2. Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Giangennaro Coppola

  3. Department of Pediatrics, First Faculty of Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy

    Alberto Spalice & Paola Iannetti

  4. Child Neurology, Headache Paediatric Center, Paediatric Sleep Disorders, Second Faculty of Medicine, Sapienza University, c/o Sant’Andrea Hospital, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-1039, Rome, Italy

    Raffaella Bruschi, Maria Pia Villa & Pasquale Parisi

  5. Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy

    Elisabetta Tozzi

Authors
  1. Alberto Verrotti
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  2. Giangennaro Coppola
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  3. Alberto Spalice
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  4. Alessia Di Fonzo
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  5. Raffaella Bruschi
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  6. Elisabetta Tozzi
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  7. Paola Iannetti
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  8. Maria Pia Villa
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  9. Pasquale Parisi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pasquale Parisi.

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Verrotti, A., Coppola, G., Spalice, A. et al. Peri-ictal and inter-ictal headache in children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy: a multicenter cross-sectional study. Childs Nerv Syst 27, 1419–1423 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-011-1428-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-011-1428-7

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