Migralepsy, hemicrania epileptica, post-ictal headache and “ictal epileptic headache”: a proposal for terminology and classification revision

Despite the fact that migraine and epilepsy are among the commoner brain diseases and that comorbidity of these conditions is well known, only few reports of migralepsy and hemicrania epileptica (HE) have been published according to the current ICHD-II criteria. Particularly, ICHD-II describes “migr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of headache and pain 2011-06, Vol.12 (3), p.289-294
Main Authors: Belcastro, Vincenzo, Striano, Pasquale, Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité, Dorotheè G. A., Villa, Maria Pia, Parisi, Pasquale
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Brain
Classification
Comorbidity
Diagnosis-Related Groups
Epilepsy
Epilepsy - classification
Epilepsy - epidemiology
Epilepsy - physiopathology
Headache
Humans
Internal Medicine
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Migraine
Migraine Disorders - classification
Migraine Disorders - epidemiology
Migraine Disorders - physiopathology
Neurology
Pain
Pain Medicine
Review
Review Article
Revisions
Seizures
Terminology
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Summary:Despite the fact that migraine and epilepsy are among the commoner brain diseases and that comorbidity of these conditions is well known, only few reports of migralepsy and hemicrania epileptica (HE) have been published according to the current ICHD-II criteria. Particularly, ICHD-II describes “migraine-triggered seizure” (i.e., migralepsy) among complications of migraine at “1.5.5” (as a rare event in which a seizure happens during migrainous aura), while hemicrania epileptica (coded at “7.6.1”) and post-ictal headache (coded at “7.6.2”) are described among headaches attributed to epileptic seizure. However, to date neither the International Headache Society nor the International League against Epilepsy mention that headache/migraine may be the sole ictal epileptic manifestation. Based on the current knowledge, migralepsy is highly unlikely to exist as such. We, therefore, propose to delete this term until clear evidence its existence is provided. Moreover, we herein propose a revision of terminology and classification criteria to properly represent the migraine/headache relationships. We suggest the term “ictal epileptic headache” in cases in which headache/migraine is the sole ictal epileptic manifestation.
ISSN:1129-2369
1129-2377
DOI:10.1007/s10194-011-0318-4