Onabotulinum Toxin A (Botox) for the Treatment of Persistent Post-Stroke and Vascular Headache

This is an interventional treatment trial for Stroke (CVA) or TIA focused on measuring Botulinum Toxins, Type A, CVA, Stroke, Headache, Migraine Read More

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adult patients (>18 y) fulfilling ICHD-3 criteria* of persistent post stroke/hemorrhagic stroke headache; persistent headache post dissection* and post RCVS persistent headache will be enrolled at 3 months or greater of persistence of symptoms.

   For the purposes of this study, as suggested elsewhere in the literature, the initial onset of headache will be considered for study if occurring within 72 hours prior to and 7 days post sentinel vascular event ("Stroke"). The 72 hours prior criteria allowing for inclusion of patients of intracerebral hemorrhage who are known to have anticipatory headache as well as alternate ischemic syndromes in which new onset headache may anticipate stroke symptoms such as dissection and reversible cerebro-vasoconstriction syndrome.

2. The syndrome of post CVST headache patients will only be enrolled after symptoms have persisted for a minimum of 6 months and after relevant imaging demonstrates a resolution of potentially structural contribution from the sentinel event (i.e. recanalization or chronic thrombo- sis with a normal opening pressure on lumbar puncture).

   • Note the patients of post dissection persistent headaches may be enrolled despite the absence of an identified ischemic lesion, i.e. in the setting of TIA or new onset headache without embolic symptoms but with a history of the (stabilized) vascular injury associated with the syndrome.
   • Note the co-existence of medication overuse headache will not be a contraindication to randomization.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Tension type Post Stroke Persisting Headache, Post stroke pain syndrome such as the Thalamic syndrome of Dejerine-Roussy, or any headache semiology that does not fulfill diagnostic criteria for chronic migraine, will be excluded.
2. Contraindications to Botox, neuromuscular illness or documented hyper- sensitivity will preclude randomization of patients.
3. Concurrent active systemic illness, such as sepsis, chronic infective processes, neoplastic syndromes, or autoimmune syndromes. (Headache secondary to medical illness, even if occurring post-stroke).
4. Subjects must be screened for coexistent (including psychiatric) conditions to exclude illnesses that may influence the conduct or results of the trial. Subjects with coexisting conditions, such as depression, may be included if they are defined a priori, stable on current treatment regimens (with no anticipated changes in management that may interfere with study results), and recorded throughout the study. One of the secondary outcome measures in the study investigates the potential impact on concurrent symptoms of depression. However, the stability of symptoms treatment and concomitant medications should be assessed prior to inclusion in the study. If factors are identified which might interfere with patient compliance, follow up or confound results, such patients should be excluded. Other common reasons for exclusion include severe depression and overuse of alcohol or illicit drugs, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition.
5. CGRP inhibitors will be contraindicated during the period of study.