Abstract

Background
Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania(CPH) is a rare disorder characterized by attacks of severe unilateral headache associated with autonomic phenomena. The absolute response to indomethacin is an important feature of this disease. The clinical characteristics of CPH has rarely been reported. Objective: To characterize clinical features of CPH. Methods: Three patients diagnosed as having CPH from September 2000 to May 2001 have been recruited from the Headache Registry of Cheju Medical Center. The diagnosis was made using the criteria of International Headache Society. Results: Two patients were women and the other was a man. All patients presented with severe excruciating pain in the periorbital or retroauricular area. The attack lasted 20 to 40 minutes. The frequency of attack ranged from 10 to more than 20 per day. Conjunctival injection was the most common autonomic phenomenon. All patients showed a dramatic response to indomethacin 50mg bid. Discussion: In view of severe pain with dramatic response to indomethacin in CPH, diagnotic suspicion and therapeutic trial of indomethacin are warranted in all patients with severe unilateral headache suspected to be CPH. Korean Journal of Headache 2(1):48-50, 2001