Lateralizing value of peri-ictal headache: A study of 100 patients with partial epilepsy

To determine the lateralizing value of peri-ictal headache, the authors con ducted a standardized interview of 100 patients with partial epilepsy, 60 w ith temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and 40 with extratemporal epilepsy (ETE). Peri-ictal headache occurred in 47 of 100 (47%) patients. Peri-ictal headac he was more likely to be ipsilateral to the seizure onset in TLE (27 of 30 = 90%) than in ETE (two of 17 = 12%; p < 0.001). For both groups, peri-icta l headache usually conformed to the diagnostic criteria for common migraine (18 of 30 = 60% in TLE; 7 of 17 = 41% in ETE).