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Magnesium as a preventive treatment for paediatric episodic tension-type headache: results at 1-year follow-up

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Abstract

The objective was to confirm the long-term utility of magnesium salts treatment on a group of young patients suffering from episodic tension-type headache (ETTH). The study was carried out at the Outpatient Headache Center at the National Neurological Institute “C. Besta,” Milan, Italy, with 45 children/adolescents with ETTH reporting consecutively for treatment. Magnesium pidolate (2.25 g) was given twice per day for three months. Medication was not administered during the year of follow-up. No other treatment was provided at any time. Patients showed significant symptom reduction. Headache days decreased by 69.9%, whereas analgesics consumption was reduced by 65.4%. Overall disability levels improved by the greatest percent − 75.7%. MIDAS subscores improved as well (question A=58.0%; question B=22.5%). Although uncontrolled, these findings are encouraging and suggest that further, better controlled research investigations are warranted.

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Grazzi, L., Andrasik, F., Usai, S. et al. Magnesium as a preventive treatment for paediatric episodic tension-type headache: results at 1-year follow-up. Neurol Sci 28, 148–150 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-007-0808-y

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