Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38672000›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2024

Use of Prescribed and Non-Prescribed Treatments for Cluster Headache in a Swedish Cohort.

Gabriella Smedfors, Felicia Jennysdotter Olofsgård, Anna Steinberg, Elisabet Waldenlind, Caroline Ran, Andrea Carmine Belin

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Brain sciences, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 30% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Associations between psychedelic use and migraine history in Swedish twins.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2026
    Article
  2. Hallmarks of primary headache: part 3 - cluster headache.The journal of headache and pain · 2025
    Review
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Gabriella SmedforsCentre for Cluster Headache, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-5688-1236
Felicia Jennysdotter OlofsgårdCentre for Cluster Headache, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-1112-6130
Anna SteinbergDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
Elisabet WaldenlindDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
Caroline RanCentre for Cluster Headache, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-0239-9871
Andrea Carmine BelinCentre for Cluster Headache, Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-6668-3172
Karolinska Institutet · SEKarolinska University Hospital · SE

Funding

KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET RESEARCH FUNDS 2020-01411REGION STOCKHOLM (ALF project) 20200095SWEDISH BRAIN FOUNDATION post doc stipend 2020SWEDISH BRAIN FOUNDATION and MELLBY GÅRD FOUNDATION FO2020-0006, FO2022-0001 and FO2023-0223SWEDISH RESEARCH FOUNDATION 2017-01096
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCluster headache (CH) is a debilitating condition, but current therapies leave CH patients in pain. The extent of this problem in Sweden is unknown.

methodsAn anonymized questionnaire was sent to 479 Swedish CH patients to investigate patterns and perceived effects of treatments.

resultsThree hundred fourteen answers were analyzed. The population was representative regarding age of onset and sex. Less than half (46%) were satisfied with their abortive treatments, 19% terminated functioning abortive treatments due to side effects. Additionally, 17% of chronic CH patients had not tried the first-line preventive drug verapamil. A small subset had tried illicit substances to treat their CH (0-8% depending on substance). Notably, psilocybin was reported effective as an abortive treatment by 100% (

conclusionsOur descriptive data illustrate that many Swedish CH patients are undertreated, lack functional therapies, and experience side effects. Further studies are warranted to search for new treatment strategies as well as a revision of current treatment guidelines with the aim of reducing patient disease burden to the greatest extent possible.

Indexed as

abortiveillicit substancespreventivepsilocybinside effects

Identifiers

PMID38672000
PMCPMC11048603
OpenAlexW4393353006

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.