Balkan Medical Journal (Jun 2012)
The Efficacy of Botulinum Toxin in Patients with Cervicogenic Headache: a Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial
Abstract
Objective: Botulinum toxin type-A (BoNTA) has been considered a treatment option for CH. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of BoNTA treatment in patients with medically resistant CH.Materials and Methods: Forty patients with CH were included in the study. Patients in the BoNTA group (n=20) were administered 10 U of BoNTA bilaterally to the frontal muscles, 20 U to the temporal muscles, 15 U to the semispinalis capitis, 15 U to the splenius capitis, and 15 U to the trapezius muscles (total: 150 U). Patients in the placebo group (n=20) received 0.2 mL of saline administrated to the same sites. All participations were evaluated 6 and 12 weeks after treatment; side effects, the number of painful days, severity (by visual analogue scale, VAS) and frequency of pain were evaluated.Results: In the BoNTA group, the severity and frequency of pain 6 and 12 weeks post treatment were significantly lower than pre-treatment levels (p<0.05). At 12 weeks post treatment, the severity and frequency of pain in the BoNTA group were lower than in the placebo group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that BoNTA was an effective treatment for CH.
