Efficacy and Safety of Occipital Nerve Stimulation in Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias: A Double-blind, Phase II, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Intervention
- Not specified
- Conditions
- Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalgia
- Sponsor
- Alberta Health Services, Calgary
- Enrollment
- 20
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Change in headache frequency
- Status
- Recruiting
- Last Updated
- last year
Overview
Brief Summary
The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy of occipital nerve stimulation (ONS) in the treatment of chronic trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TACs).
Detailed Description
Several open studies and case series have shown improvement in pain scores using ONS specifically for cluster headache, which is the most common of the TACs. However, neuromodulation in the treatment of pain disorders is subject to strong placebo effect and bias, and the lack of controlled studies in this population makes its true efficacy unknown. Therefore, we plan to study ONS in a population of patients with chronic TACs using a double-blind, randomized, controlled, cross-over study. Using sub-threshold stimulation parameters, meaning patients will not know when therapeutic stimulation is active, subjects will rate their pain and quality of life during both therapeutic and sham stimulation periods. Following the cross-over period, all subjects will undergo therapeutic stimulation for 1-year in order to gauge long-term effects.
Investigators
Fady Girgis
Physician
Alberta Health Services, Calgary
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- •Meets ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for the chronic form of one of the trigeminal autonomic cephalgias (outlined below), as determined by the treating neurologist.
- •Failed standard medical management, meaning at least 3 conventional preventative therapies.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Presence of uncontrolled or untreated psychiatric disease
- •Presence of medical contraindications to surgery
- •Patient does not consent to surgery
- •Non-English speaking
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change in headache frequency
Time Frame: 6 months
Change in frequency of headaches
Secondary Outcomes
- Safety of Occipital Nerve Stimulation(6 months)