Headache in kidney transplantation

• Published in: Journal of headache and pain 2009-12, Vol.10 (6), p.455-460
• Main Authors: Maggioni, Ferdinando, Mantovan, Maria Cristina, Rigotti, Paolo, Cadrobbi, Roberto, Mainardi, Federico, Mampreso, Edoardo, Ermani, Mario, Cortelazzo, Silvia, Zanchin, Giorgio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antihypertensive Agents - administration & dosage; Antihypertensive Agents - adverse effects; Biological and medical sciences; Causality; Cyclosporine - administration & dosage; Cyclosporine - adverse effects; Dialysis - adverse effects; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Headache Disorders - epidemiology; Headache Disorders - etiology; Headache Disorders - physiopathology; Headaches; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - administration & dosage; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Incidence; Internal Medicine; Kidney Transplantation - adverse effects; Kidneys; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Migraine; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Original; Pain Medicine; Postoperative Complications - physiopathology; Prednisone - administration & dosage; Prednisone - adverse effects; Renal Insufficiency - complications; Retrospective Studies; Skull, brain, vascular surgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Transplants & implants; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1129-2369; 1129-2377
• DOI: 10.1007/s10194-009-0148-9

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the relevance of the symptom “headache” in kidney transplanted patients, since few studies have considered headache as a clinically significant complication in this condition. A total of 83 consecutive kidney transplant patients underwent to neurological examination and a detailed headache history was taken. The headache history considered the period before kidney disease, during renal failure, during dialysis treatment and after transplantation. Diagnosis was made according to International Headache Criteria (ICDH-II) (2004). Our results reveal an occurrence of headache after kidney transplantation in 44.5% of the patients, which is higher than rates reported for the general population and in the only specific comparable study on liver transplant patients. These data suggest the need for prospective studies to explore the causal mechanisms by which headache develops with frequency in kidney transplant patients, and in particular to determine the role of immunosuppressive therapy.