HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/2013 HEALTH AND WELLNESS CHAPTER I Chair and Department of Neurological Nursing, Medical University of Lublin Katedra i Zakład Pielęgniarstwa Neurologicznego, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie BARBARA CHMIELEWSKA, KRZYSZTOF TUROWSKI Headaches and epilepsy – interrelationships and differences Bóle głowy i padaczka – współzależności i odmienności Headaches and especially migraine are associated with a number of brain psychiatric and neurologic disorders, including depression and anxiety, strokes and epilepsies. Simultaneously both headaches and epilepsies are among the most common neurological diseases, mainly in pediatric population. Among headaches especially migraine present numerous similarities with epilepsy. These two conditions may be related in numerous ways although the nature of this relationship is still unclear and sometimes controversial. Both migraine and epilepsy are chronic disorders with transient paroxysmal episodes of altered brain function (consciousness) and often with prodromal symptoms of aura (tab.1, tab.2). They both affect otherwise healthy individuals. Fits of epilepsy and migraine may be triggered by stress, fatigue, hormonal fluctuations, light stimulation or alcohol consumption. Some of epilepsies as well as migraine have a genetic component and they are originally experienced between infancy and adolescence. However migraine is common (10% prevalence) while epilepsy rare (about 1%) and prevalence of migraine is low in childhood, peaks in adult age and decrease in old age, whereas the incidence of epilepsy is highest in childhood and then in an old age. Clinically based hypothesis that migraine and epilepsy are related dates back to the 19 th century, despite the fact that W.R. Gowers in 1904 y. gave migraine a place in the borderland of epilepsy (“near it, but not of it”) and stressed that distinction between the two conditions might be problematic because epileptic seizures and migraine attacks might be mistaken one for the other. Gowers noticed that one disorder may develop while the other goes on in the same individual but he did not stress that one provokes the other [1]. However clinically well-known phenomenon that migraine-like headaches are common in the course of seizure fits and migraine attacks may trigger epileptic seizures resulted in distinguishing the entity presently known as migralepsy. HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/2013 Health and wellness The term migralepsy was introduced in 1960 by Lennox and Lennox to describe an overlapping condition wherein migraine with aura is followed by symptoms characteristic of epilepsy. Subsequently, migralepsy defined as migraine-triggered seizures was included in the current International Classification of Headache Disorders II in 2004 y[2]. EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS showed the epilepsy prevalence of 5,9% (range 1% - 17%) in the population of migraineurs greatly exceeds the general population prevalence of 0,5%. The migraine prevalence in epileptics is also high and ranges between 8% and 23%. The relative risk for migraine in persons with epilepsy was 2,4 for both subjects and their relatives. The risk of migraine was elevated in both partial and generalized seizures and in both idiopathic and symptomatic epilepsies (particularly in post-traumatic epilepsies the risk was greater - 1,8, as compared with idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsies)[3]. Greater risk of migraine was not related to age of epilepsy onset and seizure type. In pediatric studies, the prevalence of epilepsy was also significantly higher than in subjects without epilepsy (82% v.52%), and children with epilepsy had a 4,5-fold increased risk of developing headaches of different types [4]. Detailed epidemiological analyses elucidated possible association between migraine and epilepsy and showed that it is complex and multifactorial. This association include the following relationship: 1/shared the same underlying etiology - environmental or genetic risk factors, 2/ causally related - one condition leading to the other and 3/ random co-occurrence of the two diseases by chance and independently in the same individual [3]. Terminological aspects of association between headache and epilepsy. It was confirmed in multiple clinical observations that these two disorders may exist independently or epilepsy may initiate headache as well as migraine may trigger epilepsy. It is also well known that seizure and headache may be associated in certain primary or secondary neurological syndromes as occipital epilepsies or benign Rolandic epilepsy and inherited (e.g. neurofibromatosis) or accused (posttraumatic) lesions of occipital lobe (tab.3). In relation to time headaches may be clinically observed as appearing before epileptic fit, during the fit or as a post-ictal phenomenon. In more detailed descriptions these headaches are divided into two groups: 1. periictal headaches: a/ pre-ictal, b/ ictal and c/ postictal and 2. interictal headaches. Preictal headaches occur in about 5-15 % of cases, ictal in 3-5% and postictal in 1050%. Interictal headaches concern about 25-60% of cases [5] (tab 4). First of all peri-ictal headaches, and among them ictal ones may be underestimate because of the dramatic clinical manifestation of seizure the same. Current International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II) divides headache disorders into two groups: primary and secondary (symptomatic). In the primary headache disorders, the headaches does not have an identifiable cause and are divided into four categories: migraine, tension type-headache, the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, and a group of headache disorders, analogous to the idiopathic epilepsies [6]. The chapter of migraine divides the entity into six subtypes, and among the complications of migraine it concerns migraine triggered seizures (tab.5). In general updated version 12 Barbara Chmielewska, Krzysztof Turowski Headaches and epilepsy - interrelationships and differences of the Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II) published by International Headache Society in 2004 distinguished three specific entities of headache-related seizures: migraine-triggered seizure (migralepsy), hemicrania epileptica and postictal headache (tab.6) [6]. This classification was lately postulated to be supplemented with the new disorder - ictal epileptic headache. Among essential criteria the authors indicate: headache as a sole epileptic manifestation lasting minutes-days who is ipsilateral or contralateral to lateralized ictal epileptiform discharges in EEG as well as an evidence of epileptiform (any localized or generalized) discharges on EEG and concomitantly with headache. Essential feature is that headacheas as well as EEG abnormalities should resolve immediately after iv antiepileptic medication (tab.7)[5]. CHARACTERISTICS OF HEADACHES ATTRIBUTED TO EPILEPTIC SEIZURES Migraine-triggered seizures or so-called migralepsy means a seizure triggered by migraine attack (tab.5, tab.6). Depending on the time relationship migralepsy has been considered as a form of pre-ictal headache. Migralepsy is a historical term that describe a condition wherein migraine with typical aura of ophthalmic and autonomic symptoms (nausea and vomiting) was followed by symptoms characteristic of epilepsy [1]. In other words migralepsy means an entity in which two separate disorders occur in succession. This term was accepted by International Headache Society in 2004. According to ICHD-II the diagnosis require migraine with aura and seizures fulfilling criteria for one type of epileptic attack that occurs during or within one hour after a migraine aura (tab.6). This definition sets that seizures are the sequence of specific headache type and they happen during migrainous aura. In this sense the definition places seizures among complications of migraine. Migralepsy is a rare condition; as yet about sixty cases and some reviews have been published. Most of case reports have been criticized as describing complicated and unequivocal disorders or they there in fact erroneously recognized occipital epilepsies [7].Taking into account the current ICDH-II statements only 4% among fifty published cases properly met criteria of migralepsy. Similar symptoms of epileptic aura (visual phenomena, headache) and essential seizure and migraine attacks may be mistaken one for the other or they can overlap. In particular insufficiently understood symptomatology of occipital seizures may be erroneously interpreted as visual aura of migraine. Reports have even described status epilepticus in partial occipital lobe epilepsy that was interpreted as migrainous status [8,9]. It is widely postulated to revise migralepsy as a separate disease entity. As yet this term could be taken into account in cases when a fit starts with an ictal epileptic headache followed by a sensory or motor partial and/or generalized seizure. Sporadically, headache per se may represent an epileptic seizure and the sole manifestation of epilepsy [9]. HEMICRANIA EPILEPTICA means an attack of hemicranial pain that occurs synchronously with seizure of partial characteristics. Headache presents migrainous features. This phenomenon is accompanied by ipsilateral EEG discharges [10]. According to ICHD-II classification four essential features that allow for recognition of 13 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/2013 Health and wellness hemicrania epileptica include: 1. headache lasting seconds to minutes, with feature of migraine, 2. the patient is having a partial epilepsy, 3. headache develops synchronously to the seizure and it is ipsilateral to the ictal discharges (diagnosis requires the simultaneous onset of headache and epileptic discharge in EEG recording), 4. headache resolves immediately after the seizure (tab.6). The phenomenon of hemicrania epileptica is rare. Detailed analysis of reports revealed that epileptic fits presented features of status epilepticus (nonconvulsive or complex partial) and headache (who completed immediately after the seizure) lasted several hours [9]. At present it is suggested that ictal headache can rarely be the sole ictal epileptic manifestation, without any other associated ictal epileptic signs and then the term ictal epileptic headache should rather be applied to describe this distinct disorder (clinical characteristics mentioned above) [5]. ICTAL EPILEPTIC HEADACHE Even from the clinical point of view this type of headache is distinctly different from both migralepsy and hemicrania epileptica because specific headache pattern is not required. Not only migraine with aura, but also migraine without aura as well as tension headache, and both idiopathic and symptomatic cases are all admitted. Headache is the only ictal phenomenon without any other associated ictal epileptic sign and symptoms who are recognized by International League Against Epilepsy. This is different entity from hemicrania epileptica who demand occurrence of partial epileptic seizure, sensory or motor [11, 12]. It is believed that this kind of headache has an autonomic nature (i.e. cephalic pain). Ictal epileptic headache is usually orbital or manifest as discomfort that does not have a clear localization. On the other hand ILAE classification defines, among the terms used to describe semiology of epileptic seizures, a “headache“ as a cephalic sensation in the head that is different from somatosensory (tingling, numbness, sense of movement) and autonomic seizures (distinct alteration of the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal or thermoregulatory function). Cortical spreading depression seems to be connecting point between migraine and epilepsy. It has been hypothesized that cortical spreading depression and cortical epileptic focus might trigger each other thus inducing attacks. Studies have shown that headache attacks can originate at cortical or subcortical level, whereas epileptic focus arises only cortically but can be subcortically modulated. The central autonomic system have a lower threshold for epileptic activation than the network producing focal epileptic sensory-motor symptoms. On the other words, the threshold required for the activation of cortical spreading depression (resulting in headache) is lower than that required for occurrence of epileptic seizure. In this way, the onset of epileptic seizures may subsequently activate the cortical spreading depression. Cortical epileptic discharges (insufficient to cause typical clinical manifestation of seizure) might activate the trigemino-vascular system and this stimulation results in migrainous headache as the sole clinical manifestation without any other epileptic symptoms of cortical origin [13]. These rare cases of ictal headaches (in fact - cases of autonomic epilepsy) are postulated to be separately classified as ictal epileptic headaches [12,13]. Accordingly, cases with long lasting ictal epileptic 14 Barbara Chmielewska, Krzysztof Turowski Headaches and epilepsy - interrelationships and differences headache episodes fulfill the criteria to be considered as autonomic status epilepticus [14]. It is supposed that prevalence of this entity is underestimated as it is often unrecognized, and from eighties until now was described only a dozen cases [5,10]. In patients with the complaints of migraine-like headache “ictal” EEG recording can be helpful do determinate proper diagnosis. However is should be remembered that EEG patterns showed no specific characteristics and both focal rhythmic activity, lateralized and generalized spike-and wave or polyspike-and wave have been registered. The observed EEG patterns mostly included: rhythmic, high-voltage alpha activity with spikes or high-voltage theta activity with sharp waves over occipital or temporo-occipital region or even bilateral continuous spike and slow wave discharges [9,10,12]. In some cases photic stimulation can reveal photoparoxysmal EEG response as well as simultaneous complaints about pulsating headache. Therefore EEG confirmation should not be a decisive criterion as in some clinically verified patients it was not possible to detect any ictal epileptiform activity. In some but not all of these cases MR neuroimaging revealed secondary brain lesions in occipital or temporo-parieto-occipital region, and functional DWI-MR pointed restricted diffusion in the occipital region. It is worth noting that complete remission of the headache and of the epileptic abnormalities in most patients with presumed ictal epileptic headache was achieved not by means of specific anti-migraine or antiheadache drugs but following intravenous administration of anti-epileptic drugsdiazepam or phenytoin (5,9). As yet this specific entity was not included neither in the classification of the International Headache Society nor the International League Against Epilepsy. It is suggested to include ictal epileptic headache to the current ICHD-II classification in the group of headache-related seizures [5,9,11]. Proposed diagnostic criteria are listed in table 7. POSTICTAL HEADACHE is a headache who starts immediately after cessation of seizures. This the most frequent type between seizure-associated headaches occurs in about 50% (or even in 62% of young population) of the epileptic patients (tab.4) [15]. Post-ictal headache has been included in the current ICHD-II. Diagnostic criteria are as follows: a/ headache with features of tension-type or migraine (in patients with migraine), b/ the patient has had a partial or generalized epileptic seizure, c/ headache develops within 3 h following the seizure, d/ headache resolves within 72 h after the seizure (tab.6). Clinical analysis of post-ictal headaches in 372 epileptic patients revealed that 45% had experienced postictal headaches, a half of them always had headaches and they were severe in 39% individuals. 27% of patients had independent headaches that were similar to their seizure-related headache. Headaches lasted less than 6 h in 81% and more than 24 h in 8% and they were throbbing in over two thirds [16]. Another analysis reported 51% of epileptic patients with postictal headache, and more frequently associated with generalized tonic-clonic than with focal seizures. Every tenth patient also had independent migraine attacks. Postictal headaches were either uni- or bilateral troubling aches, with visual aura, with phono- and photophobia as well as nausea or vomiting and lasted 6 to 72 hs. Interestingly, in migrainous patients headaches were similar to their migraine attacks and similarly responded to triptans [17]. While pre-ictal and ictal headaches are relatively rare and short lasting, in contrast, post-ictal headaches are 15 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/2013 Health and wellness common and can impact on quality of life of the persons with epilepsy. Post-ictal headache is most common with generalized clonic-tonic seizures but is also common in complex partial seizures and less common with simple partial seizures [16]. Post-ictal headache has been reported in patients with symptomatic epilepsy but it is mainly recognized in idiopathic occipital epilepsies [17]. It is suggested that the seizure discharges in the occipital lobe trigger a migraine headache through cortical, trigeminovascular and brainstem mechanisms (similarly to the mechanism of an ictal epileptic headache) [1,12,13,17]. REFERENCES 1. Gowers WE. The border-land of epilepsy: fints, vagal attacks, vertigo, migraine, sleep symptoms, and their treatment. Chapter V. Philadelphia, P. Blackinston’s Son & Co, 1907. 2. Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenite D, Parisi P. Migraine in the borderland of epilepsy: ”Migralepsy” an overlapping syndrome of children and adults? Epilepsia 2012,53 (suppl 7), 20-25. 3. Andermann E, Andermann FA. Migrain-epilepsy relationships: Epidemiological and genetic aspects. In: Migraine and Epilepsy. FA Andermann, E.Lugaresi eds.1987, p.281-291. Butterworths, Boston. 4. Bianchin MM, Londero RG, et al. Migraine and epilepsy: a focus on overlapping clinical, pathophysiological, molecular, and therapeutic aspects. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2010,14,276-83. 5. Papetii L, Nicita F, et al. Headache and epilepsy - how are they connected? Epilepsy & Behavior 2012,xxx, 1-8 (htpp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.09.025). 6. International Headache Society (2004). The international Classification of Headache Disorders: 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 24 (suppl 1), 9-160. 7. Sances G, Guaschino E, et al. Migralepsy: a call for revision of definition. Epilepsia 2009, 50, 2487-96. 8. Panayiotopoulos CP. Visual phenomena and headache in occipital epilepsy: a review, a systematic study and differentiation from migraine. Epileptic Disord 1999,1,205-16. 9. Belcastro V, Striano P. Migralepsy, hemicrania epileptica, post-ictal headache and “ictal epileptic headache”: a proposal for terminology and classification revision. J Headache Pain 2011,12,289-94. 10. Isler H, et al. Hemicrania epileptica: a synchronous ipsilateral ictal headache with migraine features. In: Andermann F, Lugaresi E (eds). Migraine and epilepsy. Butterworth, Boston, pp249-63. 11. Parisi P, Striano P, et al. “Ictal epileptic headache”; recent concepts for new classification criteria. Cephalagia 2012,32,723-4. 16 Barbara Chmielewska, Krzysztof Turowski Headaches and epilepsy - interrelationships and differences 12. Parisi P. Why is migraine rarely, and not usually, the sole ictal epileptic manifestation? Seizure 2009,18,309-312. 13. Kastelejn-Nolst Trenite DGA, Verotti D, et al. Headache, epilepsy and photosensitivity: how are they connected? J Headache Pain 2010,11,469-76. 14. Ferrie CD, Caraballo R, et al. Autonomic status epilepticus in Panayiotopoulos syndrome and other childhood and adult epilepsies: a consensus review. Epilepsia 2007,48,1165-72. 15. Verotti A, Copolla G, et al. Peri-ictal and inter-ictal headaches in children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy: a multicenter cross-sectional study. Childs Nerv Syst 2011,27,1419-23 16. Schacter SC, Richman K, et al. Self-reported characteristic of postictal headaches. J Epilepsy 1995,8,41-3. 17. Schon F, Blau JN. Post epileptic headache and migraine. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1987,50,1148-52. Table 1. Significant clinical features of migraine and epilepsy Feature Consciousness Duration Onset EEG Migraine clear hours gradual nonspecific abnormalities Epilepsy clouded minutes sudden ictal patterns, spikes, sharp waves Table 2. Characteristics of aura in migraine and prodromal symptoms in epilepsy Symptom Duration Automatisms Gastric Visual Déjà vu Paresthesias Migraine > 15 min unusual nausea positive/negative rare common (>5-60 min) Consciousness preserved Epilepsy < 1 min present epigastric sensation complex phenomenon common common ( secondsminutes) altered during seizure 17 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/2013 Health and wellness Table 3. Migraine and epilepsy relationship 1. Coexisting epilepsy and migraine increased prevalence, occur together, independent attacks 2. Migralepsy (migraine induced epilepsy) seizures triggered by migraine aura 3. Epilepsy - induced headache headache as a part of ictus or postictal period 4. Primary epilepsy - migraine syndromes (features of both disorders) occipital epilepsies benign Rolandic epilepsy 5. Secondary epilepsy-migraine syndromes occur together, common underlying cause (mitochondrial disorders, arteriovenous malformations of occipital lobe, neurofibromatosis) Table 4. Frequency of seizure - related headaches Peri - ictal headaches: Pre-ictal (5-15%) Ictal (3-5%) Post-ictal (10-50%) Inter - ictal headaches (25-60%) Table 5. ICHD-II classification of migraine 1. Migraine 1.1. Migraine with aura 1.2. Migraine without aura 1.3. Childhood periodic syndromes that are commonly precursor of migraine 1.4. Retinal migraine 1.5. Complications of migraine 1.5.5. Migraine-triggered seizures 1.6. 18 Probable migraine Barbara Chmielewska, Krzysztof Turowski Headaches and epilepsy - interrelationships and differences Table 6. criteria ICHD-II classification of headache-related seizures with diagnostic Migraine - triggered seizures a. Migraine fulfilling criteria for migraine with aura b. A seizure fulfilling diagnostic criteria for one type of epileptic attack occurs during or within 1 h after a migraine aura Hemicrania epileptica a. Headache lasting seconds to minutes with features of migraine b. The patient is having a partial epileptic seizure c. Headache develops synchronously with the seizure and it is ipsilateral to the ictal headache d. Headache resolves immediately after the seizure Post-ictal headache a. Headache with features of “tension-type headache” or in patient with migraine b. The patient has a partial or generalized epileptic-seizure c. Headache develops within 3 h following seizure d. Headache resolves within 72 h after the seizure Table 7. Proposed criteria for ictal epileptic headache (according to L. Papetti, et al.(5)) A. Headache as a sole ictal epileptic manifestation lasting minutes, hours or days B. Headache that is ipsi- or contra-lateral to (lateralized) ictal epileptiform EEG discharges ( if lateralized) C. Evidence of epileptiform discharges (localized-any localization admitted, lateralized or generalized) on EEG, concomitantly with headache with or without photoparoxysmal response D. Headache resolves immediately (within a few minutes) after iv antiepileptic medication 19 HEALTH AND WELLNESS 1/2013 Health and wellness ABSTRACT Headaches and epilepsy are among the commonest brain diseases. Both migraine and epilepsy are characterized by paroxysmal and transient alteration of brain function as well as headache, so one condition may be mistaken for the other. They can occur separately but also comorbidity of these conditions is well known. The frequency of epilepsy among people with migraine is higher than in general population (prevalence 5,9% versus 0,5%).The prevalence of headache and especially migraine among patients with epilepsy is also higher than in healthy individuals (relative risk 2,4). The two disorders can parallel coexist by chance, headache may be a phenomenon of epileptic seizure or even the sole ictal manifestation as well as an essential symptom of post-ictal period. Practical clinical observations have divided epilepsyrelated headaches into peri-ictal and interictal (in 25-60% patients). Peri-ictal headaches, directly associated with epileptic fit can be divided into pre-ictal (5-15% of cases), ictal (3-5%) and postictal headaches (10-50%). Similarity and overlapping of signs and symptoms of these two episodic paroxysmal disorders cause difficulties in diagnosis and treatment in medical practice. Attempts to classify and determine the diagnostic and therapeutic recommendation for headache - epilepsy relationships are in progress. Current International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II, 2004) describes three entities: migraine-triggered seizure (migralepsy), hemicrania epileptica and post-ictal headache. The latest observations postulate introducing a new disease entity- ictal epileptic headache. Key words: headache, epilepsy, migralepsy, hemicrania epileptica, ictal epileptic headache STRESZCZENIE Bóle głowy oraz padaczka należą do najczęstszych schorzeń ośrodkowego układu nerwowego. Wspólną kliniczną cechą zwłaszcza migreny jak i padaczek są napadowe, przemijające zaburzenia czynności mózgu oraz bóle głowy, co stwarza trudności rozpoznawcze. Schorzenia mogą występować niezależnie, ale współwystępowanie jest częstym zjawiskiem. Rozpowszechnienie padaczki u osób z migreną jest większe niż w populacji ogólnej (5,9% v.0,5%). Rozpowszechnienie bólów głowy, szczególnie migreny, w chorujących na padaczkę również jest większe niż u osób bez padaczki (współczynnik ryzyka - 2,4). Schorzenia te, rzadko, mogą współwystępować równolegle, ale niezależnie od siebie u jednej osoby, częściej ból głowy należy do objawów napadu padaczkowego lub stanowi wyłączną i jedyną manifestację napadów padaczki. W praktyce klinicznej u chorych z padaczką wyróżnia się bóle głowy około napadowe oraz międzynapadowe (u 2560% chorych). Bóle około napadowe mogą wystąpić jako poprzedzające właściwy napad padaczki (5-15%), w trakcie napadu (3-5%) oraz po napadowe (10-50%). Podobieństwo i nakładanie się na siebie klinicznych cech napadów w obu schorzeniach niejednokrotnie stwarza trudności w ustaleniu prawidłowego rozpoznania oraz w wyborze właściwej terapii. Próby klasyfikacji i wytyczenia rekomendacji diagnostyczno-terapeutycznych dla zaburzeń na styku ból głowy20 Barbara Chmielewska, Krzysztof Turowski Headaches and epilepsy - interrelationships and differences padaczka prowadzone są od wielu lat. Obowiązująca aktualnie Międzynarodowa Klasyfikacja Bólów Glowy (ICHD-II z r.2004) wyróżnia trzy jednostki chorobowe: napady padaczkowe wyzwalane przez ból głowy (migralepsja), padaczkowe bóle głowy oraz bóle głowy po napadowe. Najnowsze badania i obserwacje kliniczne wskazują na potrzebę uaktualnienia dotychczasowej klasyfikacji nie tylko bólów głowy, ale również napadów padaczkowych, w tym zwłaszcza uwzględnienia nowej jednostki tj. padaczki z napadami izolowanego bólu głowy, której obraz kliniczny spełnia kryteria padaczek o symptomatologii autonomicznej. Słowa kluczowe: ból głowy, padaczka, migralepsia, padaczkowe bóle głowy, padaczka z napadami izolowanego bólu głowy Artykuł zawiera 27971 znaków ze spacjami 21