Burden of headache has been assessed in adults in countries worldwide, and is high, but data for children and adolescents are sparse. The objectives of this study were o develop a questionnaire and methodology for the global estimation of burden of headache in children and adolescents, to test these in use and to present preliminary data.

Background: Triptans are migraine-specific acute treatments. A well-accepted definition of triptan failure is needed in clinical practice and for research. The primary aim of the present Consensus was to provide a definition of triptan failure. To develop this definition, we deemed necessary to develop as first a consensus definition of effective treatment of an acute migraine attack and of triptan-responder. Main body: The Consensus process included a preliminary literature review, a Delphi round and a subsequent open discussion. According to the Consensus Panel, effective treatment of a migraine attack is to be defined on patient well-being featured by a) improvement of headache, b) relief of non-pain symptoms and c) absence of adverse events. An attack is considered effectively treated if patient’s well-being, as defined above, is restored within 2 hours and for at least 24 hours. An individual with migraine is considered as triptan-responder when the given triptan leads to effective acute attack treatment in at least three out of four migraine attacks. On the other hand, an individual with migraine is considered triptan non-responder in the presence of failure of a single triptan (not matching the definition of triptan-responder). The Consensus Panel defined an individual with migraine as triptan-resistant in the presence of failure of at least 2 triptans; triptan refractory, in the presence of failure to at least 3 triptans, including subcutaneous formulation; triptan ineligibile in the presence of an acknowledged contraindication to triptan use, as specified in the summary of product characteristics. Conclusions: The novel definitions can be useful in clinical practice for the assessment of acute attack treatments patients with migraine. They may be helpful in identifying people not responding to triptans and in need for novel acute migraine treatments. The definitions will also be of help in standardizing research on migraine acute care.

The 2013 International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 (ICHD-3) was published in a beta version to allow the clinicians to confirm the validity of the criteria or to suggest improvements based on field studies. The aim of this work was to review the Primary Headache Disorders Section of ICHD-3 beta data on children and adolescents (age 0-18 years), and to suggest changes, additions, and amendments. Several experts in childhood headache across the world applied different aspects of ICHD-3 beta in their normal clinical practice. Based on their personal experience and the literature available on pediatric headache, they made observations and proposed suggestions for the primary headache disorders section of ICHD-3 beta data on children and adolescents. Some headache disorders in children have specific features which are different from those seen in adults and which should be acknowledged and considered. Some features in children were found to be age-dependent: clinical characteristics, risks factors and etiologies have a strong bio psycho-social basis in children and adolescents making primary headache disorders in children distinct from those in adults. Several recommendations are presented in order to make ICHD-3 more appropriate for use with children.

The incidence of migraine has been investigated only in a few studies worldwide and it is not known in our country. We, therefore, aimed to estimate the migraine incidence in a previously accomplished population-based prevalence study sample of 5323 individuals in the year 2008. The former Turkish headache prevalence study has been completed as a nationwide, randomized, home-based study of face-to-face examination by physicians trained for headache diagnosis by using ICHD criteria. Five years after this study an optimized survey including 50 questions was performed to estimate the migraine incidence in migraine-free individuals in the previous study, with a 56.4 % responder rate. Two validation studies for this survey were performed prior and after the study each in 100 subjects by comparing the gold standard of expert diagnosis of headache, showing high rate of reliability (Crohnbach alpha: 0.911 and 0.706, respectively). Migraine incidence was estimated as 2.38 % (2.98 % in women and 1.93 % in men) per year in 2563 migraine-free individuals; if the population at risk is defined as the group without any headaches, the migraine incidence decreased to 1.99 %. The chronic migraine (CM) incidence [without medication overuse (MOH)] was 0.066 % and that of MOH was 0.259 %. We found a significant burden of the disease on the occupational functionality as well as on social and family life, even in the early years of the migraine. The family history of headaches especially in the fathers could be useful to predict new cases of migraine, besides the well-known risk factor, diagnosis of depression, whereas income and education did not seem to relate to migraine onset. Our study with a large population-based nation-wide sample, using ICHD-II criteria, with structured headache interviews as well as blinded re-validation of the questionnaire diagnoses showed a 2.38 % incidence rate of migraine in Turkey, higher than most of the other previous reports; a finding which could be related to genetic factors and also to the methodological differences in the study designs. Moreover the incidence of CM was found to be 0.066 %.

Chronic migraine has a well-documented association with increased insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. The hypothalamus may play a role in the progression of insulin resistance in chronic migraine through the regulation of orexigenic peptides such as neuropeptide Y. Insulin resistance may lead to increased risk of future type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients with chronic migraine, which is more likely to occur if other pathogenetic defects of type 2 diabetes mellitus, such as impaired pancreatic β-cell functions and defects in intestinal glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion after meals. We studied the relationship of fasting neuropeptide Y with insulin resistance, β-cell function, and glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion in non-obese female chronic migraine patients. We also aimed to investigate glucose-stimulated insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 secretions as early pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for the development of carbohydrate intolerance. In this cross-sectional controlled study, 83 non-obese female migraine patients of reproductive age categorized as having episodic migraine or chronic migraine were included. The control group consisted of 36 healthy females. We studied glucose-stimulated insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. We investigated the relationship of neuropeptide Y levels with insulin resistance and β-cell insulin secretion functions. Fasting glucose levels were significantly higher in migraine patients. Plasma glucose and insulin levels during the oral glucose tolerance test were otherwise similar in chronic migraine, episodic migraine and controls. Patients with chronic migraine were more insulin resistant than episodic migraine or controls (p = 0.048). Glucagon-like peptide-1 levels both at fasting and two hours after glucose intake were similar in chronic migraine, episodic migraine, and controls. Neuropeptide Y levels were higher in migraineurs. In chronic migraine, neuropeptide Y was positively correlated with fasting glucagon-like peptide-1 levels (r = 0.57, p = 0.04), but there was no correlation with insulin resistance (r = 0.49, p = 0.09) or β-cell function (r = 0.50, p = 0.07). Non-obese premenopausal female patients with chronic migraine have higher insulin resistance, but normal β-cell function is to compensate for the increased insulin demand during fasting and after glucose intake. Increased fasting neuropeptide Y levels in migraine may be a factor leading to increased insulin resistance by specific alterations in energy intake and activation of the sympathoadrenal system.

Background: The Global Campaign against Headache collects data from children (7–11 years) and adolescents (12–17 years) both to inform health and education policies and to contribute to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. This survey in Mongolia was part of this global enquiry. Methods: Following the generic protocol for the global enquiry, this was a schools-based cross-sectional survey. Self-completed structured questionnaires were administered, within classes, in seven schools in four districts of the Capital city and three rural areas of Mongolia, selected to represent the country’s diversities. Headache diagnostic questions were based on ICHD-3 criteria but for the inclusion of undifferentiated headache (UdH). Results: Of 4515 potential participants, 4266 completed the questionnaire (children 2241 [52.5%], adolescents 2025 [47.5%]; males 2107 [49.4%], females 2159 [50.6%]). Children were therefore slightly over-represented, although overall mean age was 11.3 ± 3.3 years (range: 6–17; median 11). The non-participation proportion was 4.5%. Observed lifetime prevalence of headache was 81.0%. Gender- and age-adjusted 1-year prevalence was 59.4% (migraine: 27.3%; tension-type headache [TTH]: 16.1%; UdH: 6.6%; all headache on ≥15 days/month: 4.2%; probable medication-overuse headache: 0.7%). All headache types except UdH were more prevalent among females than males, and all were more prevalent among adolescents than children, although UdH represented a higher proportion of all headache in children (13.0%) than in adolescents (10.0%). Headache yesterday was reported by 15.9% of the sample, 26.0% of those with headache. Conclusions: At least in adolescents, headache in Mongolia is no less common than in adults. The clear difference from similar studies in other countries was a lower prevalence of UdH, perhaps a consequence of reporting bias in a non-troublesome headache (mild and short-lasting by definition). This study informs policy in Mongolia and, with no similar study yet from elsewhere in Western Pacific Region, makes an important contribution to the global enquiry.