Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40437707›Full record

ReviewPain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain2025

15. Cluster Headache.

Casper S Lansbergen, Rolf Fronczek, Leopoldine A Wilbrink, Steven P Cohen, Cecile C de Vos, Frank J P M Huygen

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Casper S LansbergenDepartment of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4822-4895
Rolf FronczekDepartment of Neurology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1935-7603
Leopoldine A WilbrinkDepartment of Neurology, Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1226-1059
Steven P CohenDepartment of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Psychiatry and Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5928-2127
Cecile C de VosDepartment of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7210-1693
Frank J P M HuygenDepartment of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2852-4880

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionCluster headache is a rare primary headache disorder characterized by excruciating unilateral pain around the eye, lasting between 15 and 180 min, accompanied by ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms. Cluster headache is classified into two forms: episodic and chronic, with chronic cluster headache defined by pain-free intervals of less than 3 months between bouts. Both drug-based and invasive treatments are available for abortive and preventive purposes. Treatment selection depends on individual efficacy and tolerance, with invasive options considered when pharmacological treatments prove ineffective.

methodsThis narrative review summarizes the literature on common practice and the evidence in the treatment of cluster headache.

resultsOxygen therapy and subcutaneous sumatriptan are the most effective abortive treatments for cluster headache. Oral corticosteroid tapering regimens can be used as bridging therapy. Verapamil, lithium, topiramate, and CGRP antagonists are potential preventive medication options. Greater occipital nerve (GON) injections and radiofrequency (RF) therapy can be used as preventive treatments, though their effects are often temporary. For refractory chronic cluster headache, occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) has proven to be effective. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) may also be considered if all other treatments have failed.

conclusionsThe management of cluster headache is complex due to the variable efficacy of treatments across different patients and limited evidence.

Indexed as

Cluster HeadacheDeep Brain StimulationHumansSumatriptanSumatriptancluster headacheevidence‐based medicineinterventional treatmentmedically intractable chronic cluster headacheneurostimulation

Identifiers

PMID40437707
PMCPMC12120220

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.