ArticleThe journal of headache and pain2018
Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation for cluster headache, results from a large, open-label European registry.
Article in The journal of headache and pain, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 61 citations in OpenAlex.
- Stereotactic radiosurgery in the management of cluster headache: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis.Neurosurgical review · 2026Pooled it
- Cluster headache: crosspoint between otologists and neurologists-treatment of the sphenopalatine ganglion and systematic review.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2019Pooled it
- Interventional Pain Procedures: A Narrative Review Focusing on Safety and Complications. Part 3 - Sympathetic and Ganglion-Targeted Techniques.Journal of pain research · 2026Review
- Hallmarks of primary headache: part 3 - cluster headache.The journal of headache and pain · 2025Review
- Cluster headache: understandings of current knowledge and directions for whole process management.Frontiers in neurology · 2024Review
- Neuromodulation for the Sphenopalatine Ganglion-a Narrative Review.Current pain and headache reports · 2023Review
- Current treatment options for cluster headache: limitations and the unmet need for better and specific treatments-a consensus article.The journal of headache and pain · 2023Review
- Review
- Neuromodulation for Chronic Daily Headache.Current pain and headache reports · 2022Review
- Neurostimulation Treatment in Chronic Cluster Headache-a Narrative Review.Current pain and headache reports · 2021Review
- Cluster Headache: A Review and Update in Treatment.Current neurology and neuroscience reports · 2021Review
- Cluster headache pathophysiology - insights from current and emerging treatments.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2021Review
- Mapping Assessments Instruments for Headache Disorders against the ICF Biopsychosocial Model of Health and Disability.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Review
- Primaries non-migraine headaches treatment: a review.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2020Review
- Remote Electrical Neuromodulation for the Acute Treatment of Migraine in Patients with Chronic Migraine: An Open-Label Pilot Study.Pain and therapy · 2020Article
- Cluster headache and TACs: state of the art.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2020Review
- Managing cluster headache.Practical neurology · 2019Article
- [Neuromodulation in primary headache in the year 2019: is it still up-to-date? : New data on invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation in migraine and cluster headaches].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2019Review
- Primary headache disorders: Five new things.Neurology. Clinical practice · 2019Article
- Cluster headache: pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment.Journal of neurology · 2019Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCluster headache (CH) is a disabling primary headache disorder characterized by severe periorbital pain. A subset of patients does not respond to established pharmacological therapy. This study examines outcomes of a cohort of mainly chronic CH patients treated with sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) stimulation.
methodsPatients were followed in an open-label prospective study for 12 months. Ninety-seven CH patients (88 chronic, 9 episodic) underwent trans-oral insertion of a microstimulator targeting the SPG. Patients recorded stimulation effect prospectively for individual attacks. Frequency, use of preventive and acute medications, headache impact (HIT-6) and quality of life measures (SF-36v2) were monitored at clinic visits. Per protocol, frequency responders experienced ≥ 50% reduction in attack frequency and acute responders treated ≥ 50% of attacks. HIT-6 responders experienced an improvement ≥ 2.3 units and SF-36 responders ≥ 4 units vs. baseline.
resultsEighty-five patients (78 chronic, 7 episodic) remained implanted and were evaluated for effectiveness at 12 months. In total, 68% of all patients were responders, 55% of chronic patients were frequency responders and 32% of all patients were acute responders. 67% of patients using acute treatments were able to reduce the use of these by 52% and 74% of chronic patients were able to stop, reduce or remain off all preventive medications. 59% of all patients were HIT-6 responders, 67% were SF-36 responders.
conclusionsThis open-label registry corroborates that SPG stimulation is an effective therapy for CH patients providing therapeutic benefits and improvements in use of medication as well as headache impact and quality of life.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.