The Evolution of Chronic Migraine: Classification and Nomenclature

Review Article
The Evolution of Chronic Migraine: Classification and Nomenclature
Headache: The Journal of Head and Face PainVolume 49 Issue 8, Pages 1206 - 1213Aubrey Manack, PhD; Catherine Turkel, PharmD, PhD; Stephen Silberstein, MD, FACP
From the Allergan Inc, Irvine, CA, USA (A. Manack and C. Turkel); Neurology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA (S. Silberstein).
Correspondence to A. Manack, Allergan Inc., 2525 Dupont Drive, Irvine, CA 92612, USA.
Funding support: This manuscript was sponsored by Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA, USA.

Conflict of Interest: Drs. Turkel and Manack are employees of Allergan, Inc. Dr. Silberstein has proprietary interest (Speaker/Advisory Board/Grants) in the following commercial health care-related businesses: Abbott, Advanced Bionics, Advanced NeurModulation System, AGA, Allergan, AstraZeneca, Endo, GSK, Lilly, Medtronic, Merck, Ortho-McNeil, Pfizer, Pozen, ProEthic, Valeant, Vernalis.

Copyright Copyright © 2009 American Headache Society
KEYWORDS
chronic migraine • headache • classification • epidemiology • nomenclature • evolution
(Headache 2009;49:1206-1213)

ABSTRACT
After nearly 3 decades of debate, the headache community still lacks globally accepted criteria for chronic migraine. This review summarizes the evolution of chronic migraine nomenclature and criteria. We concluded that although there are discrepancies in the currently proposed criteria, there is a significant amount of overlap with previously used classifications such that they all appear to describe the same subset of highly burdened migraine patients. In order to continue to understand the natural history of chronic migraine, address the unmet medical need, and develop effective therapies, field experts and physicians must have a classification that is well understood and accepted by the broader clinical community. It is our view that of the currently established classifications, the Silberstein and Lipton revised criteria for transformed migraine are the most applicable to daily clinical practice and field research.


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Published Online: 28 Apr 2009

Copyright © 2009 American Headache Society


Accepted for publication February 19, 2009.

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)
10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01432.x About DOI