A systematic trial of Cocaine hydrochloride as an abortive therapeutic agent in cluster headache is presented. Headache induction was performed with sublingual Nitroglycerin (1.0 mg) and cocaine was employed for abortive purposes. Subjects were then instructed in a mode of self-application of cocaine solution to their Sphenopalatine Foramen regions for abortion. Most patients can learn to abort most of their cluster headaches by application of cocaine solution to their Sphenopalatine Foramen region in from 15 seconds to three minutes. The risk of addiction is slight when employing 5 to 10% solution for the period of time that the typical cluster persists (4-12 weeks), and the benefits are great in cessation of the agonizing pain that accompanies this headache. Cocaine may be a valuable adjunctive abortive therapeutic measure in cluster headache when combined with a patient educational program. The rapidity of its effectiveness in some circumstances might suggest that the origin of much of the pain of cluster headache may be found in the Pterygomaxillary Fossa region.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of face masks has increased, resulting in potential health-related side-effects. Therefore, the study aimed to analyse the effect of wearing face masks on self-perceived dry mouth and halitosis. A questionnaire addressing the daily wearing time of different face masks (community masks, surgical/medical masks and KN95-/N95-/FFP2-masks) and self-perceived dry mouth and halitosis was given to adults attending or working at a university hospital. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test and multiple linear regression analysis (p < 0.05). 3750 participants (age: 50.4 ± 15.5 years; 60.0% female) were included. During the pandemic, face masks were used for 4.7 ± 3.8 h per day: community masks: 0.9 ± 2.0 h, medical/surgical masks: 1.9 ± 2.8 h and KN95-/N95-/FFP2-masks: 1.9 ± 2.5 h per day. The use of face masks significantly increased self-perceived dry mouth and halitosis (both p < 0.001). Self-perceived dry mouth and halitosis increased with increasing wearing time (community masks: dry mouth: p < 0.001, halitosis: p = 0.014; medical/surgical masks: both: p < 0.001; KN95-/N95-/FFP2-masks: dry mouth: p < 0.001, halitosis: p = 0.011). The perception of dry mouth and halitosis was increased in females compared to males (both: p < 0.001). Participants used to wearing face masks prior to the pandemic perceived dry mouth to a higher extent (p = 0.043). Self-perceived halitosis was lower in older than in younger participants (p < 0.001). Due to the increased perception of dry mouth and halitosis, people might abstain from wearing face masks. Further studies need to analyse measurable changes in dry mouth or halitosis.

Since 2002 inpatient preventive and rehabilitative measures for fathers and their children (F-C-M) are available in the German health system (§§ 24 and 41 SGB V). So far there is no data on health disorders of the fathers in F-C-M. The aim of this study is to examine whether participants of F-C-M are more prone to health problems than fathers who are not participating in F-C-M and whether participation in F-C-M contributes to improved health. To do so, the change in the use of outpatient care services is examined and compared to the use of mentioned services by fathers who are not participating in an F-C-M. The research project is based on the routine data of AOK-Niedersachsen (AOKN). Outpatient diagnoses and medications that were billed one year before and one year after the measure are used as outcome variables for outpatient use. The test sample (N=179) includes all fathers who participated in a F-C-M in 2005-2009 and were insured throughout. For these fathers, a comparative group of fathers who had not participated in a F-C-M (N=717) was formed in parallel. The investigation has shown that the participants of the F-C-M received more diagnoses and medications before and after the measure than fathers without F-C-M. Fathers under 40 years mostly got fewer diagnoses and medications after the measure than before the measure, whereas older people showed a higher claim after the measure. The participants of the F-C-M mainly have more F-diagnoses than fathers without F-C-M. In addition to that the increase in I-diagnoses and the increase in cardiovascular drugs are striking compared to the previous year. The increased use of the statutory health insurance benefits of participants of the F-C-M compared to non-participants indicates that the F-C-M is a health-impaired group of insured people. The high number of F-diagnoses further illustrates that the participants are particularly affected in this indication area. A positive effect of the measure is shown by the fact that younger fathers made reduced use of health insurance benefits, while in the case of older participants a treatment requirement was still predominant or was revealed in the context of the measure.