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The Validity of the Vascular "Cold Patch" in the Diagnosis of Chronic Headache
Author(s) -
Swerdlow Bernard,
Dieter John Nathan
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/j.1526-4610.1986.hed2601022.x
Subject(s) - headaches , psychogenic disease , vascular headache , scalp , medicine , cluster headache , methysergide , anesthesia , migraine , surgery , radiology , receptor , antagonist
SYNOPSIS “Cold patches” in the external carotid territory previously have been described to have been associatedwith vascular‐related headaches. This study utilizes electronic thermography to examine the relationship.A sample of 275 patients diagnosed as having: vascular, scalp muscle contraction, cluster, post‐traumaticor psychogenic headaches, as well as 45 headache‐free individuals, served as subjects. Each subject wasadministered electronic thermography to determine if “cold patches” were present in the external carotidterritory. A “cold patch” was defined as a region more than 0.5°C cooler than the surrounding area.Chi Square analysis determined that vascular headache patients displayed a significantly greater number(p<.001) of “cold patches” than did normal individuals, or patients having scalp muscle contraction,psychogenic, or post‐traumatic type I headaches. Mixed headaches involving a vascular component alsodisplayed a significantly greater number (p< .001) of “cold patches,” as did cluster disorders (p<.001), andpost‐traumatic type III headaches (p<.001).This evidence supports a valid relationship between "cold patches" and vascular‐related headaches. It issuggested that the vascular “cold patch” be included as part of the criteria in assessing headaches.