Evaluation of the ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for cardiac cephalalgia and new proposal

Abstract

Background The current International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3) diagnostic criteria for cardiac cephalalgia were established according to previous case reports and the opinion of experts. We aimed to assess the ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria for cardiac cephalalgia. Methods We conducted a series of cases study and evaluated these criteria in 54 patients with cardiac cephalalgia. Next, we assessed whether the ICHD-3 diagnostic criteria B, C and D for migraine without aura were fulfilled by these patients. Results ICHD-3 criteria A, B, C1, C2 and D for cardiac cephalalgia were met by 100% of patients, whereas criterion C3 was fulfilled by 81.5%. The least frequently fulfilled sub-criterion was C3b (accompanied by nausea) (18.5%). Moreover, we found that ICHD-3 criteria B, C and D for migraine without aura were met by a low proportion of patients: 11.1%, 46.3% and 25.9%, respectively, and no patient fulfilled the three criteria simultaneously. Conclusion Based on our results, we propose revised diagnostic criteria for cardiac cephalalgia. We suggest removing criterion C3 and C4. We also suggest removing the word “migraine-like” from its description.