• Fausta Piazza, Matteo Chiappedi, Erika Maffioletti, Federica Galli, and Umberto Balottin.
• Child Neuropsychiatry Unit-IRCCS National Institute of Neurology C. Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
• Headache. 2012 Nov 1; 52 (10): 1506-10.

ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of medication overuse headache (MOH) in a group of children and adolescents seen for headache in a third-level center in Italy.BackgroundEpidemiological studies indicate a prevalence of MOH in children and adolescents between 0.3 and 0.5%; no data are available for the Italian population.MethodsWe studied a group of first-seen children and adolescents (118 patients, 43.2% male and 56.8% female, mean age: 11.9 years). A detailed history was taken, using criteria defined by Olesen et al to assess the presence of MOH. Statistical correlations between demographic and diagnostic variables were assessed.ResultsEleven (9.3%) of our patients presented MOH; in the group with chronic daily headache, the prevalence raised to 20.8%. At follow up, after introduction of a more rationale treatment, most patients improved, but 2 of them reported a worsening of their headache.ConclusionsWe believe that a strong warning regarding medication overuse in headache therapy is essential for pediatricians and neuropsychiatrists.© 2012 American Headache Society.

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