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Clinical Notes
Clomiphene Citrate for Treatment Refractory Chronic
Cluster Headache
Todd Rozen, MD
A treatment refractory chronic cluster headache patient is presented who became cluster-free on clomiphene citrate. The
author has previously reported a SUNCT patient responding to clomiphene citrate. Hypothalamic hormonal modulation
therapy with clomiphene citrate may become a new preventive choice for trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. The possible
mechanism of action of clomiphene citrate for cluster headache prevention will be discussed.
Key words: cluster headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, clomiphene citrate, testosterone, suprachiasmatic nucleus,
headache
(Headache 2007;••:••-••)
INTRODUCTION
Treatment refractory cluster headache is associated
with significant patient disability and even has
led to patient suicide. As such, there is an ongoing
search by headache specialists for new and effective
cluster headache preventive and abortive treatments.
Cluster headache is one of the trigeminal autonomic
cephalalgias (TACs), which along with SUNCT and
paroxysmal hemicrania are a group of headache disorders
considered to be hypothalamic influenced. On
positron emission tomography scanning and functional
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), each of
these headache syndromes has shown hypothalamic
activation during headache attacks.1-3 Based on these
neuroimaging findings, there has been a recent focus
on hypothalamic modulation for cluster headache
treatment.Agents that directly or indirectly affect the
hypothalamus such as melatonin have shown efficacy
in cluster headache prevention, while direct hypothalamic
modulation with deep brain stimulation has
been effective in some of the most treatment refractory
cluster headache cases.4,5 Hormonal manipulation
of the hypothalamus may also be a possible
treatment strategy for cluster headache. Clomiphene
citrate is an ovulatory stimulant, which actively alters
hypothalamic estrogen receptors. The author has
already shown the partial effect of clomiphene citrate
in SUNCT syndrome.6Atreatment refractory chronic
cluster headache patient is presented who had a dramatic
and sustained response to clomiphene citrate
treatment. The possible mechanism of action of clomiphene
citrate for cluster headache prevention will
be discussed.
CASE REPORT
The patient is a 40-year-old gentleman who began
to develop cluster headaches at the age of 21 years.
The headaches started daily from onset and with no
remission periods. The patient would experience
between 4 and 8 cluster headaches per day.
From the Michigan Head Pain and Neurological Institute, Ann
Arbor, MI, USA.
Address all correspondence to Dr. Todd Rozen, Neurology,
Michigan Head Pain & Neurological Institute, 3120 Professional
Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA.
Accepted for publication September 3, 2007. Conflict of Interest: None
ISSN 0017-8748
doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2007.00995.x
Published by Blackwell Publishing
Headache
© 2007 the Author
Journal compilation © •••• American Headache Society
1
The headaches were 100% right-sided in a retroorbital/
periorbital distribution. On the side of the
headache, the patient would develop eyelid ptosis,
conjunctival injection, lacrimation, and nasal rhinorrhea.
He would also become very agitated, pacing the
floors or screaming out in pain. Each cluster attack
would last 60 minutes on average. He would experience
multiple headaches each evening after falling
asleep, being awoken 2 to 3 times per night. He was a
long-standing cigarette smoker since his teens. Neuroimaging
to exclude secondary etiologies included a
brain MRI with pituitary cuts and magnetic resonance
angiography (MRA) of the extracranial and intracranial
circulation. These were normal studies. Multiple
medications were tried for the patient’s headaches as
he had been seen at a dedicated headache center for
12 years.Abortive therapies were sometimes effective
including high flow oxygen (15 L/minute), sumatriptan
injection, and intramuscular dihydroergotamine
(DHE). Past preventive agents (all at top dosing
schedules) included: valproic acid, methysergide,
methylergonovine, verapamil, topiramate, lithium,
gabapentin, baclofen, lamotrigine, mycophenolate
mofetil, levetiracetam, oxcarbazepine, olanzapine,
clonidine, melatonin, nimodipine, tizanidine,
indomethacin, daily frovatriptan and naratriptan,
daily DHE injections, mirtazapine, pregabalin,
memantine, modafanil, ramelteon, as well as daily
opiates.As short courses of corticosteroids would suppress
his headaches, he also, prior to coming to the
headache center, had been placed on a year-long trial
of daily prednisone up to 100 mg per day which caused
a number of adverse events and eventually the cluster
headaches broke through back to a daily occurrence.
The patient also tried a number of anesthesiologic
procedures including: greater occipital nerve blockade,
cervical facet blocks, selective C2 nerve blocks,C3
medial branch nerve blocks, sphenopalatine ganglion
rhizotomy, and trigeminal nerve blocks, all without
benefit. He did not have a greater occipital nerve
stimulator trial or deep brain hypothalamic stimulation.
As most treatment options had been exhausted
the patient ended up on daily DHE injections, with
some improvement but still experiencing 1 to 2 attacks
per day. During this time period, the author was treating
a SUNCT patient with clomiphene citrate and
because this agent appeared to be helping another
hypothalamic influenced TAC, it was decided to try
this hormonal agent on the case patient. Prior to starting
the clomiphene citrate,hormone laboratory testing
was completed and showed normal total testosterone
levels (464 ng/mL; normal range 241-827 ng/mL), low
normal free testosterone levels (9.2 pg/mL;normal for
ages 30-39 years; 8.7-25.1 pg/mL), low normal luteinizing
hormone (LH) levels (1.8 mIU/mL; normal 1.4-
18.1 mIU/mL), normal prolactin, and follicle
stimulating hormone (FSH) levels.Clomiphene citrate
was started at 50 mg/day and the patient’s headaches
decreased from daily to one headache 3-5 days per
week. The dose was increased to 75 mg then 100 mg
and his headaches became 80% improved with rare
headaches 1 to 3 times per week. In addition to an
improvement in pain, he stated his sleeping pattern
was greatly improved, actually feeling rested after a
night sleep for the first time since his headaches began
in his twenties. After being on clomiphene citrate
for 40 days, his hormone levels were retested. Total
testosterone increased from 464 ng/mL to 1221
ng/mL, free testosterone increased from 9.2 pg/mL
to 22.7 pg/mL, and LH increased from 1.8 mIU/mL to
12.5 mIU/mL. Unfortunately, his insurance company
would not cover the cost of the clomiphene citrate,
so he had to stop the medication after 3 months of
treatment. His headaches returned to daily, multiple
headaches per day and he was placed back on
daily injectable DHE, which he remained on for
18 months. His endogenous hormones returned to
pre-clomiphene citrate levels. During his time on daily
DHE,he was given testosterone supplementation with
a testosterone cream but showed no improvement
after 3 months of therapy. Eight months ago, the
patient was placed back on clomiphene citrate 50 mg
per day and after 2 weeks of treatment, he became
pain-free and remains pain-free to this date. Not only
have his headaches completely alleviated with no
breakthrough attacks, but his sleep pattern has also
become “normal again” with the patient feeling completely
rested after a night sleep.
Here is the conclusion and references:
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, clomiphene citrate has now been
shown to be effective in the treatment of both
SUNCT and chronic cluster headache, both hypothalamic
influenced headache syndromes. Hormonal
manipulation may become a standard of therapy for
treatment resistant TAC cases. Clomiphene citrate’s
ability to directly modulate the hypothalamus and
possibly the SCN makes it a very attractive treatment
option when standard TAC therapy does not work.
The suggested starting dose of clomiphene citrate is
50 mg per day. If there is no improvement in headaches
after 1-2 weeks of therapy, raising the dose to
100 mg per day is suggested. Treatment response
appears to occur within 1-2 weeks of starting an effective
dose as demonstrated by our cluster and SUNCT
patients. Higher dosing schedules have not been
readily studied in the gynecologic literature so are not
suggested. The long-term risk of clomiphene citrate
treatment in males is unknown. In short course
therapy, adverse events appear to be minor but there
are reports of gynecomastia, testicular tumors, and
pulmonary embolism in men receiving clomiphene
citrate. Serial prostate-specific antigen levels are recommended
during treatment as well as prostate and
testicular examinations. The role of clomiphene
citrate in female TAC patients is unknown at present.
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Paul, if you reread my first post, I think that you will see that I am diagnosed refractory primary chronic cluster headache. Conventional meds do not work with me. Your Dr. is right in that anyone considering this therapy, should be refractory to conventional meds. And you are right, hormone treatments are not to be taken lightly. I actually took 6 months from the time my neuro wrote the first prescription for clomiphene citrate, before I actually filled it. I read everything I could find on it, and with the prodding of increased CH activity, finally decided to take the plunge. There is no doubt, but that I am a guinea pig. We do monitor my hormones regularly, and I am scheduled for a PSA test in Feb. But we are venturing into unknown territory, taking this drug for an extended length of time. I do feel like it was a better choice than some of the invasive procedures that were my other options.
But let me again point out the tremendous success that this treatment has afforded me. I actually have a life now!
alley