Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome

Background: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome is characterized by thunderclap headache associated with multifocal vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries in patients without aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The vasoconstriction reverts within three months. We report a 44-year-old man who had a thunderclap headache during sexual intercourse. A similar episode occurred at rest 36 hours later. The patient had already experienced a thunderclap headache 10 years earlier, during coitus. There were no abnormalities on examination. His brain computed tomography scan was normal and cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed no xanthochromia, 15 WBC/mm³ and 10 RBC/mm³. Lumbar puncture was repeated two days later (WBC = 3/mm³ and RBC = 43/mm³). An initial digital cerebral angiography showed a diffuse segmental intracerebral vasospasm. A new angiography after 15 days was normal. He remains headache-free after twenty six months. In conclusion, patients who have thunderclap headache with normal brain CT and cerebrospinal fluid without xantochromia should be investigated for this syndrome.

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Main Authors: SAMPAIO ROCHA FILHO,PEDRO AUGUSTO, SANTOS BARBOSA,JANAYNA, MELO CORREA-LIMA,ANA ROSA
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Sociedad Médica de Santiago 2010
Online Access:http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872010000800009
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spelling oai:scielo:S0034-988720100008000092010-12-21Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromeSAMPAIO ROCHA FILHO,PEDRO AUGUSTOSANTOS BARBOSA,JANAYNAMELO CORREA-LIMA,ANA ROSA Cerebral arterial diseases Coitus Headache Vasospasm, intracranial Background: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome is characterized by thunderclap headache associated with multifocal vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries in patients without aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The vasoconstriction reverts within three months. We report a 44-year-old man who had a thunderclap headache during sexual intercourse. A similar episode occurred at rest 36 hours later. The patient had already experienced a thunderclap headache 10 years earlier, during coitus. There were no abnormalities on examination. His brain computed tomography scan was normal and cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed no xanthochromia, 15 WBC/mm³ and 10 RBC/mm³. Lumbar puncture was repeated two days later (WBC = 3/mm³ and RBC = 43/mm³). An initial digital cerebral angiography showed a diffuse segmental intracerebral vasospasm. A new angiography after 15 days was normal. He remains headache-free after twenty six months. In conclusion, patients who have thunderclap headache with normal brain CT and cerebrospinal fluid without xantochromia should be investigated for this syndrome.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessSociedad Médica de SantiagoRevista médica de Chile v.138 n.8 20102010-08-01text/htmlhttp://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872010000800009en10.4067/S0034-98872010000800009
institution SCIELO
collection OJS
country Chile
countrycode CL
component Revista
access En linea
databasecode rev-scielo-cl
tag revista
region America del Sur
libraryname SciELO
language English
format Digital
author SAMPAIO ROCHA FILHO,PEDRO AUGUSTO
SANTOS BARBOSA,JANAYNA
MELO CORREA-LIMA,ANA ROSA
spellingShingle SAMPAIO ROCHA FILHO,PEDRO AUGUSTO
SANTOS BARBOSA,JANAYNA
MELO CORREA-LIMA,ANA ROSA
Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
author_facet SAMPAIO ROCHA FILHO,PEDRO AUGUSTO
SANTOS BARBOSA,JANAYNA
MELO CORREA-LIMA,ANA ROSA
author_sort SAMPAIO ROCHA FILHO,PEDRO AUGUSTO
title Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
title_short Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
title_full Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
title_fullStr Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
title_sort reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome
description Background: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome is characterized by thunderclap headache associated with multifocal vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries in patients without aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The vasoconstriction reverts within three months. We report a 44-year-old man who had a thunderclap headache during sexual intercourse. A similar episode occurred at rest 36 hours later. The patient had already experienced a thunderclap headache 10 years earlier, during coitus. There were no abnormalities on examination. His brain computed tomography scan was normal and cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed no xanthochromia, 15 WBC/mm³ and 10 RBC/mm³. Lumbar puncture was repeated two days later (WBC = 3/mm³ and RBC = 43/mm³). An initial digital cerebral angiography showed a diffuse segmental intracerebral vasospasm. A new angiography after 15 days was normal. He remains headache-free after twenty six months. In conclusion, patients who have thunderclap headache with normal brain CT and cerebrospinal fluid without xantochromia should be investigated for this syndrome.
publisher Sociedad Médica de Santiago
publishDate 2010
url http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0034-98872010000800009
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AT santosbarbosajanayna reversiblecerebralvasoconstrictionsyndrome
AT melocorrealimaanarosa reversiblecerebralvasoconstrictionsyndrome
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