No abstract

Transverse sinus (TS) stenoses, as revealed by MR venography, persist in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension after normalization of CSF pressure, suggesting the lack of a direct relationship between the caliber of TS and CSF pressure.

Previous MR studies have established that bilateral transverse sinus stenosis (BTSS) predicts idiopathic intracranial hypertension without papilledema (IIHWOP) in migraine. However, it is uncertain whether BTSS identifies IIHWOP in patients with chronic tension-type headache (CTTH): using cerebral MR venography this study aimed to address this question.In a prospective study from February 2002 to December 2006, 198 consecutive patients with CTTH underwent MR venography. Of these patients, 58 underwent lumbar puncture to measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure. MR venography and lumbar puncture were also performed in 45 age-matched control subjects. BTSS was considered present when the signal flow was poor or lacking (flow gap) in the mid-lateral portion of both transverse sinuses. IIHWOP was diagnosed if the patient met the diagnostic criteria for idiopathic intracranial hypertension and did not have papilledema. Among the 198 patients with CTTH who underwent MR venography, 18 (9%) had BTSS. Thirteen of these 18 patients with BTSS underwent lumbar puncture, and nine (69.2%) had IIHWOP. CSF opening pressure was normal in all 45 patients as well as in all 45 controls with normal MR venography.These data suggest that BTSS on MR venography is associated with increased intracranial pressure in the absence of papilledema in patients with headache mimicking CTTH.

There are limited data on the relationship between normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure and bilateral transverse sinus stenosis (BTSS); there are also several conflicting reports about the upper limit of normal CSF opening pressure. To evaluate the influence of BTSS on the upper limit of normal CSF opening pressure, we prospectively recorded lumbar CSF opening pressures in 217 adult patients with neurological symptoms who underwent cerebral magnetic resonance venography (MRV). The CSF opening pressures ranged between 65 and 286 mmH(2)O (mean = 149.3, s.d. = 47.5). The upper limit of opening pressure in patients with both normal appearance of transverse sinuses and unilateral transverse sinus stenosis on MRV (n = 167) was 195 mmH(2)O with a range of 65-195 mmH(2)O. All patients with BTSS were headache sufferers, and the upper limit of opening pressure in patients with BTSS (n = 50) was 286 mmH(2)O with a range of 91-286 mmH(2)O. All patients with opening pressures > 200 mmH(2)O displayed BTSS, whereas only 13% of patients with a pressure < 200 mmH(2)O displayed BTSS. Our findings demonstrate that the upper limit of normal CSF opening pressure is related to BTSS, and they also highlight that headache sufferers with opening pressures > 200 mmH(2)O should be tested for BTSS by MRV.

Background Although migraine is widespread and disabling, stigmatisation and poor awareness of the condition still represent barriers to effective care; furthermore, research on migraine individual and social impact must be enhanced to unveil neglected issues, such as caregiving burden. The project investigated the migraine illness experience through Narrative Medicine (NM) to understand daily life, needs and personal resources of migraneurs, their caregivers and clinicians, and to provide insights for clinical practice. Methods The project involved 13 Italian headache centres and targeted migraneurs, their caregivers and migraine specialists at these centres. Written narratives, composed by a sociodemographic survey and illness plot or parallel chart, were collected through the project’s webpage. Illness plots and parallel charts employed open words to encourage participants’ expression. Narratives were analysed through Nvivo software, interpretive coding and NM classifications. Results One hundred and seven narratives were collected from patients and 26 from caregivers, as well as 45 parallel charts from clinicians. The analysis revealed migraine perception in social, domestic and work life within the care pathway evolution and a bond between chaos narratives and day loss due to migraine; furthermore, narratives suggested the extent of the caregiving burden and a risk of underestimation of migraine burden in patients’ and caregivers’ life. Conclusion The project represents the first investigation on migraine illness experience through NM simultaneously considering migraneurs’, caregivers’ and clinicians’ perspectives. Comparing narratives and parallel charts allowed to obtain suggestions for clinical practice, while NM emerged as able to foster the pursuing of migraine knowledge and awareness.