Prophylactic treatment of episodic cluster headache with intravenous bolus of methylprednisolone

Abstract.

We evaluated the efficacy of intravenous boluses of methylprednisolone followed by prednisone as a prophylactic treatment for episodic cluster headache. Fourteen male patients (mean age, 42.54 years) with episodic cluster headache were treated with 250-mg boluses of methylprednisolone on 3 consecutive days, followed by prednisone (90 mg/day orally) with gradual tapering in four weeks. Headache parameters of the active phases treated with methylprednisolone were compared with those of previous active phases in the same patients treated with other prophylactic medications. The primary efficacy criterion was decrease in the frequency of attacks during the first month of treatment. The statistical differences were calculated using Wilcoxon’s test. The attacks were significantly less frequent in the active phases treated with methylprednisolone boluses than those treated with other medications (p<0.05). This treatment seems to be more effective than the usual prophylactic treatments for episodic cluster headache.