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Short- and long-term cluster headache disease burden, as well as depressive symptoms, contributes to suicidality, according to research published online Cephalalgia. Development of treatments that reduce the headache-related burden and prevent future bouts could reduce suicidality, said the researchers.
Although cluster headache has been called the “suicide headache,” few studies have examined suicidality in patients with cluster headache. Research by Rozen et al. found that the rate of suicidal attempt among patients was similar to that among the general population. The results have not been replicated, however, and the investigators did not examine whether suicidality varied according to the phases of the disorder.
A prospective, multicenter study
Mi Ji Lee, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor of neurology at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues conducted a prospective study to investigate the suicidality associated with cluster headache and the factors associated with increased suicidality in that disorder. The researchers enrolled 193 consecutive patients with cluster headache between September 2016 and August 2018 at 15 hospitals. They examined the patients and used the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder–7 item scale (GAD-7) screening tools. During the ictal and interictal phases, the researchers asked the patients whether they had had passive suicidal ideation, active suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, or suicidal attempt. Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the factors associated with high ictal suicidality, which was defined as two or more positive responses during the ictal phase. Participants were followed up during the between-bout phase.
The researchers excluded 18 patients from analysis because they were between bouts at enrollment. The mean age of the remaining 175 patients was 38.4 years. Mean age at onset was 29.9 years. About 85% of the patients were male. The diagnosis was definite cluster headache for 87.4% of the sample and probable cluster headache for 12.6%. In addition, 88% of the population had episodic cluster headache.
Suicidal ideation increased during the ictal phase
During the ictal phase, 64.2% of participants reported passive suicidal ideation, and 35.8% reported active suicidal ideation. Furthermore, 5.8% of patients had a suicidal plan, and 2.3% attempted suicide. In the interictal phase, 4.0% of patients reported passive suicidal ideation, and 3.5% reported active suicidal ideation. Interictal suicidal planning was reported by 2.9% of participants, and 1.2% of participants attempted suicide interictally. The results were similar between patients with definite and probable cluster headache.
The ictal phase increased the odds of passive suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR], 42.46), active suicidal ideation (OR, 15.55), suicidal planning (OR, 2.06), and suicidal attempt (OR, 2.02), compared with the interictal phase. The differences in suicidal planning and suicidal attempt between the ictal and interictal phases, however, were not statistically significant.
Longer disease duration, higher attack intensity, higher Headache Impact Test–6 (HIT-6) score, GAD-7 score, and PHQ-9 score were associated with high ictal suicidality. Disease duration, HIT-6, and PHQ-9 remained significantly associated with high ictal suicidality in the multivariate analysis. Younger age at onset, longer disease duration, total number of lifetime bouts, and higher GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were significantly associated with interictal suicidality in the univariable analysis. The total number of lifetime bouts and the PHQ-9 scores remained significant in the multivariable analysis.
In all, 54 patients were followed up between bouts. None reported passive suicidal ideation, 1.9% reported active suicidal ideation, 1.9% reported suicidal planning, and none reported suicidal attempt. Compared with the between-bouts period, the ictal phase was associated with significantly higher odds of active suicidal ideation (OR, 37.32) and nonsignificantly increased suicidal planning (OR, 3.20).
Patients need a disease-modifying treatment
Taken together, the study results underscore the importance of proper management of cluster headache to reduce its burden, said the authors. “Given that greater headache-related impact was independently associated with ictal suicidality, an intensive treatment to reduce the headache-related impact might be beneficial to prevent suicide in cluster headache patients,” they said. In addition to reducing headache-related impact and headache intensity, “a disease-modifying treatment to prevent further bouts is warranted to decrease suicidality in cluster headache patients.”
Although patients with cluster headache had increased suicidality in the ictal and interictal phases, they had lower suicidality between bouts, compared with the general population. This result suggests that patients remain mentally healthy when the bouts are over, and that “a strategy to shorten the length of bout is warranted,” said Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues. Furthermore, the fact that suicidality did not differ significantly between patients with definite cluster headache and those with probable cluster headache “prompts clinicians for an increased identification and intensive treatment strategy for probable cluster headache.”
The current study is the first prospective investigation of suicidality in the various phases of cluster headache, according to the investigators. It nevertheless has several limitations. The prevalence of chronic cluster headache was low in the study population, and not all patients presented for follow-up during the period between bouts. In addition, the data were obtained from recall, and consequently may be less accurate than those gained from prospective recording. Finally, Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues did not gather information on personality disorders, insomnia, substance abuse, or addiction, even though these factors can influence suicidality in patients with chronic pain.
The investigators reported no conflicts of interest related to their research. The study was supported by a grant from the Korean Neurological Association.
SOURCE: Ji Lee M et al. Cephalalgia. 2019 Apr 24. doi: 10.1177/0333102419845660.
Short- and long-term cluster headache disease burden, as well as depressive symptoms, contributes to suicidality, according to research published online Cephalalgia. Development of treatments that reduce the headache-related burden and prevent future bouts could reduce suicidality, said the researchers.
Although cluster headache has been called the “suicide headache,” few studies have examined suicidality in patients with cluster headache. Research by Rozen et al. found that the rate of suicidal attempt among patients was similar to that among the general population. The results have not been replicated, however, and the investigators did not examine whether suicidality varied according to the phases of the disorder.
A prospective, multicenter study
Mi Ji Lee, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor of neurology at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues conducted a prospective study to investigate the suicidality associated with cluster headache and the factors associated with increased suicidality in that disorder. The researchers enrolled 193 consecutive patients with cluster headache between September 2016 and August 2018 at 15 hospitals. They examined the patients and used the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder–7 item scale (GAD-7) screening tools. During the ictal and interictal phases, the researchers asked the patients whether they had had passive suicidal ideation, active suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, or suicidal attempt. Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the factors associated with high ictal suicidality, which was defined as two or more positive responses during the ictal phase. Participants were followed up during the between-bout phase.
The researchers excluded 18 patients from analysis because they were between bouts at enrollment. The mean age of the remaining 175 patients was 38.4 years. Mean age at onset was 29.9 years. About 85% of the patients were male. The diagnosis was definite cluster headache for 87.4% of the sample and probable cluster headache for 12.6%. In addition, 88% of the population had episodic cluster headache.
Suicidal ideation increased during the ictal phase
During the ictal phase, 64.2% of participants reported passive suicidal ideation, and 35.8% reported active suicidal ideation. Furthermore, 5.8% of patients had a suicidal plan, and 2.3% attempted suicide. In the interictal phase, 4.0% of patients reported passive suicidal ideation, and 3.5% reported active suicidal ideation. Interictal suicidal planning was reported by 2.9% of participants, and 1.2% of participants attempted suicide interictally. The results were similar between patients with definite and probable cluster headache.
The ictal phase increased the odds of passive suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR], 42.46), active suicidal ideation (OR, 15.55), suicidal planning (OR, 2.06), and suicidal attempt (OR, 2.02), compared with the interictal phase. The differences in suicidal planning and suicidal attempt between the ictal and interictal phases, however, were not statistically significant.
Longer disease duration, higher attack intensity, higher Headache Impact Test–6 (HIT-6) score, GAD-7 score, and PHQ-9 score were associated with high ictal suicidality. Disease duration, HIT-6, and PHQ-9 remained significantly associated with high ictal suicidality in the multivariate analysis. Younger age at onset, longer disease duration, total number of lifetime bouts, and higher GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were significantly associated with interictal suicidality in the univariable analysis. The total number of lifetime bouts and the PHQ-9 scores remained significant in the multivariable analysis.
In all, 54 patients were followed up between bouts. None reported passive suicidal ideation, 1.9% reported active suicidal ideation, 1.9% reported suicidal planning, and none reported suicidal attempt. Compared with the between-bouts period, the ictal phase was associated with significantly higher odds of active suicidal ideation (OR, 37.32) and nonsignificantly increased suicidal planning (OR, 3.20).
Patients need a disease-modifying treatment
Taken together, the study results underscore the importance of proper management of cluster headache to reduce its burden, said the authors. “Given that greater headache-related impact was independently associated with ictal suicidality, an intensive treatment to reduce the headache-related impact might be beneficial to prevent suicide in cluster headache patients,” they said. In addition to reducing headache-related impact and headache intensity, “a disease-modifying treatment to prevent further bouts is warranted to decrease suicidality in cluster headache patients.”
Although patients with cluster headache had increased suicidality in the ictal and interictal phases, they had lower suicidality between bouts, compared with the general population. This result suggests that patients remain mentally healthy when the bouts are over, and that “a strategy to shorten the length of bout is warranted,” said Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues. Furthermore, the fact that suicidality did not differ significantly between patients with definite cluster headache and those with probable cluster headache “prompts clinicians for an increased identification and intensive treatment strategy for probable cluster headache.”
The current study is the first prospective investigation of suicidality in the various phases of cluster headache, according to the investigators. It nevertheless has several limitations. The prevalence of chronic cluster headache was low in the study population, and not all patients presented for follow-up during the period between bouts. In addition, the data were obtained from recall, and consequently may be less accurate than those gained from prospective recording. Finally, Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues did not gather information on personality disorders, insomnia, substance abuse, or addiction, even though these factors can influence suicidality in patients with chronic pain.
The investigators reported no conflicts of interest related to their research. The study was supported by a grant from the Korean Neurological Association.
SOURCE: Ji Lee M et al. Cephalalgia. 2019 Apr 24. doi: 10.1177/0333102419845660.
Short- and long-term cluster headache disease burden, as well as depressive symptoms, contributes to suicidality, according to research published online Cephalalgia. Development of treatments that reduce the headache-related burden and prevent future bouts could reduce suicidality, said the researchers.
Although cluster headache has been called the “suicide headache,” few studies have examined suicidality in patients with cluster headache. Research by Rozen et al. found that the rate of suicidal attempt among patients was similar to that among the general population. The results have not been replicated, however, and the investigators did not examine whether suicidality varied according to the phases of the disorder.
A prospective, multicenter study
Mi Ji Lee, MD, PhD, clinical assistant professor of neurology at Samsung Medical Center in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues conducted a prospective study to investigate the suicidality associated with cluster headache and the factors associated with increased suicidality in that disorder. The researchers enrolled 193 consecutive patients with cluster headache between September 2016 and August 2018 at 15 hospitals. They examined the patients and used the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder–7 item scale (GAD-7) screening tools. During the ictal and interictal phases, the researchers asked the patients whether they had had passive suicidal ideation, active suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, or suicidal attempt. Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate the factors associated with high ictal suicidality, which was defined as two or more positive responses during the ictal phase. Participants were followed up during the between-bout phase.
The researchers excluded 18 patients from analysis because they were between bouts at enrollment. The mean age of the remaining 175 patients was 38.4 years. Mean age at onset was 29.9 years. About 85% of the patients were male. The diagnosis was definite cluster headache for 87.4% of the sample and probable cluster headache for 12.6%. In addition, 88% of the population had episodic cluster headache.
Suicidal ideation increased during the ictal phase
During the ictal phase, 64.2% of participants reported passive suicidal ideation, and 35.8% reported active suicidal ideation. Furthermore, 5.8% of patients had a suicidal plan, and 2.3% attempted suicide. In the interictal phase, 4.0% of patients reported passive suicidal ideation, and 3.5% reported active suicidal ideation. Interictal suicidal planning was reported by 2.9% of participants, and 1.2% of participants attempted suicide interictally. The results were similar between patients with definite and probable cluster headache.
The ictal phase increased the odds of passive suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR], 42.46), active suicidal ideation (OR, 15.55), suicidal planning (OR, 2.06), and suicidal attempt (OR, 2.02), compared with the interictal phase. The differences in suicidal planning and suicidal attempt between the ictal and interictal phases, however, were not statistically significant.
Longer disease duration, higher attack intensity, higher Headache Impact Test–6 (HIT-6) score, GAD-7 score, and PHQ-9 score were associated with high ictal suicidality. Disease duration, HIT-6, and PHQ-9 remained significantly associated with high ictal suicidality in the multivariate analysis. Younger age at onset, longer disease duration, total number of lifetime bouts, and higher GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores were significantly associated with interictal suicidality in the univariable analysis. The total number of lifetime bouts and the PHQ-9 scores remained significant in the multivariable analysis.
In all, 54 patients were followed up between bouts. None reported passive suicidal ideation, 1.9% reported active suicidal ideation, 1.9% reported suicidal planning, and none reported suicidal attempt. Compared with the between-bouts period, the ictal phase was associated with significantly higher odds of active suicidal ideation (OR, 37.32) and nonsignificantly increased suicidal planning (OR, 3.20).
Patients need a disease-modifying treatment
Taken together, the study results underscore the importance of proper management of cluster headache to reduce its burden, said the authors. “Given that greater headache-related impact was independently associated with ictal suicidality, an intensive treatment to reduce the headache-related impact might be beneficial to prevent suicide in cluster headache patients,” they said. In addition to reducing headache-related impact and headache intensity, “a disease-modifying treatment to prevent further bouts is warranted to decrease suicidality in cluster headache patients.”
Although patients with cluster headache had increased suicidality in the ictal and interictal phases, they had lower suicidality between bouts, compared with the general population. This result suggests that patients remain mentally healthy when the bouts are over, and that “a strategy to shorten the length of bout is warranted,” said Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues. Furthermore, the fact that suicidality did not differ significantly between patients with definite cluster headache and those with probable cluster headache “prompts clinicians for an increased identification and intensive treatment strategy for probable cluster headache.”
The current study is the first prospective investigation of suicidality in the various phases of cluster headache, according to the investigators. It nevertheless has several limitations. The prevalence of chronic cluster headache was low in the study population, and not all patients presented for follow-up during the period between bouts. In addition, the data were obtained from recall, and consequently may be less accurate than those gained from prospective recording. Finally, Dr. Ji Lee and colleagues did not gather information on personality disorders, insomnia, substance abuse, or addiction, even though these factors can influence suicidality in patients with chronic pain.
The investigators reported no conflicts of interest related to their research. The study was supported by a grant from the Korean Neurological Association.
SOURCE: Ji Lee M et al. Cephalalgia. 2019 Apr 24. doi: 10.1177/0333102419845660.
FROM CEPHALAGIA
Key clinical point: Cluster headache is associated with increased suicidality during attacks and within the active period.
Major finding: Cluster headache attacks increased the risk of active suicidal ideation (odds ratio, 15.55).
Study details: A prospective, multicenter study of 175 patients with cluster headache.
Disclosures: The study was supported by a grant from the Korean Neurological Association.
Source: Ji Lee M et al. Cephalalgia. 2019 Apr 24. doi: 10.1177/0333102419845660.