Skip to main content
Log in

The Enigma of New Daily Persistent Headache: What Solutions for Pediatric Age?

  • Childhood and Adolescent Headache (SE Evers, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Pain and Headache Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

To analyze systematically the evidence currently available from the literature regarding the diagnosis, clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of new daily persistent headache (NDPH).

Recent findings

NDPH is a primary headache characterized by an abrupt onset with continuous daily pain that can persist for many months. Although self-limiting forms have been described, NDPH is frequently associated with high disability even in children and adolescents. For this reason, it is very important to recognize it from a diagnostic point of view and to treat it.

Summary

We found little specific data on NDPH in developmental age. Most of the therapy studies have been conducted on adults with conflicting data. Currently, pediatric NDPH therapy is based on experiences in adult patients and in individuals with other forms of primary chronic headache, hence the need for more pediatric studies to fill this information gap.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. • Yamani N, Olesen J. New daily persistent headache: a systematic review on an enigmatic disorder. Headache Pain 2019;20:80. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-019-1022-z. This updated and comprehensive review on the characteristics of NDPH in the general population.

  2. •• Papetti L, Sforza G, Tarantino S, Moavero R, Ruscitto C, Ursitti F, Ferilli MAN, Vigevano F, Valeriani M. Features and management of new daily persistent headache in developmental-age patients. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021;11:385. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11030385. This study illustrates important and useful suggestions on the diagnostic and therapeutic management of NDPH in developmental age.

  3. Gladstein J, Rothner AD. Chronic daily headache in children and adolescents. Semin Pediatr Neurol. 2010;17:88–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. • Robbins MS, Grosberg BM, Napchan U, Crystal SC, Lipton RB. Clinical and prognostic subforms of new daily persistent headache. Neurology 2010;74:1358–64. This study emphasizes the different possible long-term evolutions of NDPH.

  5. Vanast WJ. New daily persistent headaches: Definition of a benign syndrome. Headache. 1986;26:317.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Meineri P, Torre E, Rota E, Grasso E. New daily persistent headache: clinical and serological characteristics in a retrospective study. Neurol Sci. 2004;25:S281–2. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-004-0310-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. •• Grengs LR, Mack KJ. New daily persistent headache is most likely to begin at the start of school. J Child Neurol 2016;31:864–868. https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073815624761. This study offers an important contribution in clarifying how school stress can have a significant impact on the progression of headaches in children.

  8. Puledda F, Goadsby PJ, Prabhakar P. Treatment of disabling headache with greater occipital nerve injections in a large population of childhood and adolescent patients: a service evaluation. J Headache Pain. 2018;19:5. https://doi.org/10.1186/s10194-018-0835-5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Gelfand AA, Reider AC, Goadsby PJ. Outcomes of greater occipital nerve injections in pediatric patients with chronic primary headache disorders. Pediatr Neurol. 2014;50:135–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Scalas C, Calistri L. Chronic daily headache in a paediatric headache centre. J Headache Pain. 2005;6:274–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-005-0209-7.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Mack KJ. New daily persistent headache in children and adults. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2009;13:47–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-009-0010-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Gladstein J, Holden EW. Chronic daily headache in children and adolescents: a 2-year prospective study. Headache. 1996;36:349–51. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1526-4610.1996.3606349.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Silberstein SD, Lipton RB, Sliwinski M. Classification of daily and near-daily headaches: field trial of revised IHS criteria. Neurology. 1996;47:871–5. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.47.4.871.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS). The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia. 2018;38:1–211. https://doi.org/10.1177/0333102417738202.

  15. Evans RW, Seifert TD. The challenge of new daily persistent headache. Headache. 2011;51:145–54. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2010.01812.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lobo R, Wang M, Lobo S, Bahra A. Time to retire “New daily persistent headache”: Mode of onset of chronic migraine and tension-type headache. Cephalalgia. 2021;27:3331024211044440. https://doi.org/10.1177/03331024211044440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Baron EP, Rothner AD. New daily persistent headache in children and adolescents. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2010;10:127–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-010-0097-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Santoni JR, Santoni-Williams CJ. Headache and painful lymphadenopathy in extracranial or systemic infection: etiology of new daily persistent headaches. Intern Med. 1993;32:530–2. https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.32.530.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Rozen T, Swidan SZ. Elevation of CSF tumor necrosis factor alpha levels in new daily persistent headache and treatment refractory chronic migraine. Headache. 2007;47:1050–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2006.00722.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Prakash S, Saini S, Rana KR, Mahato P. Refining clinical features and therapeutic options of new daily persistent headache: a retrospective study of 63 patients in India. J Headache Pain. 2012;13:477–85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-012-0461-6.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Fujita M, Fujiwara J, Maki T, Shibasaki K, Shigeta M, Nii J. Pediatric chronic daily headache associated with school phobia. Pediatr Int. 2009;51:621–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-200X.2009.02804.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Papetti L, Salfa I, Battan B, Moavero R, Termine C, Bartoli B, Di Nunzio F, Tarantino S, Alaimo Di Loro P, Vigevano F, Valeriani M. Features of primary chronic headache in children and adolescents and validity of ICHD 3 Criteria. Front Neurol. 2019;10:92. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2019.00092.

  23. Szperka CL, Gelfand AA, Hershey AD. Patterns of use of peripheral nerve blocks and trigger point injections for pediatric headache: results of a survey of the american headache society pediatric and adolescent section. Headache. 2016;56:1597–607. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12939.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Joshi SG, Mathew PG, Markley HG. New daily persistent headache and potential new therapeutic agents. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2014;14:425. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-013-0425-5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Connelly M, Sekhon S. Current perspectives on the development and treatment of chronic daily headache in children and adolescents. Pain Manag. 2019;9:175–89. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2018-0057.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Spears RC. Efficacy of botulinum toxin type A in new daily persistent headache. J Headache Pain. 2008;9:405–6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-008-0078-y.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Prakash S, Shah ND. Post-infectious new daily persistent headache may respond to intravenous methylprednisolone. J Headache Pain. 2010;11:59–66. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10194-009-0171-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Marmura MJ, Passero FC Jr, Young WB. Mexiletine for refractory chronic daily headache: a report of nine cases. Headache. 2008;48:1506–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2008.01234.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Nagy AJ, Gandhi S, Bhola R, Goadsby PJ. Intravenous dihydroergotamine for inpatient management of refractory primary headaches. Neurology. 2011;77(1827–1832):36. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182377dbb.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Pomeroy JL, Marmura MJ, Nahas SJ, Viscusi ER. Ketamine infusions for treatment refractory headache. Headache. 2017;57:276–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rozen TD, Beams JL. New daily persistent headache with a thunderclap headache onset and complete response to Nimodipine (a new distinct subtype of NDPH). J Headache Pain. 2013;14:100. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.13013.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Akbar A. Response of refractory new daily persistent headache to intravenous lidocaine treatment in a pediatric patient. J Pain Relief. 2017;6:4. https://doi.org/10.4172/2167-0846.1000297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Alexander J. Resolution of new daily persistent headache after osteopathic manipulative treatment. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 2016;116:182–5. https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2016.035.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Rozen TD. New daily-persistent headache. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2003;7:218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-003-0076-3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Wintrich S, Rothner D. New daily persistent headaches–follow up and outcome in children and adolescents. Headache. 2010;50:23.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Rozen TD. Triggering events and new daily persistent headache: age and gender differences and insights on pathogenesis-a clinic-based study. Headache. 2016;56:164–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/head.12707.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Takase Y, Nakano M, Tatsumi C, Matsuyama T. Clinical features, effectiveness of drug-based treatment, and prognosis of new daily persistent headache (NDPH): 30 cases in Japan. Cephalalgia. 2004;24:955–9. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2982.2004.00771.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Li D, Rozen TD. The clinical characteristics of new daily persistent headache. Cephalalgia. 2002;22:66–9. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-2982.2002.00326.x.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Evans R. New daily persistent headache. Headache. 2012;52:40–4. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2012.02135.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Massimiliano Valeriani.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

All authors declare no conflicts of interests.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Childhood and Adolescent Headache

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Papetti, L., Sforza, G., Frattale, I. et al. The Enigma of New Daily Persistent Headache: What Solutions for Pediatric Age?. Curr Pain Headache Rep 26, 165–172 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-022-01011-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-022-01011-3

Keywords

Navigation