Cosyntropin Versus Epidural Blood Patch (EBP) for Treatment of Treatment of Post Dural Puncture Headache

Summary

PDPH is a common problem after either intentional or unintentional Dural puncture. It is especially common in young female patients and in patients undergoing Lumbar Puncture using the typical kit containing large 20 gauge needles (1). Hypothesis is that Cosyntropin therapy is at least as effective as current conservative therapy (caffeine/fluid) and/or Epidural Blood Patch. Patients will be randomly assigned to undergo either: (1) EBP with IVF therapy or (2)Cosyntropin IV with IVF therapy. Endpoints will be a pain score that is given prior to the procedure, Emergency Department (ED) discharge pain score and post procedural day (PPD) day 1, day 3 and day 7 pain and functional levels. Patients in Cosyntropin arm of the study may request crossover to EBP at anytime after a 24 hour assessment period is completed per Standard of Care for treatment of PDPH, in order to ensure no undue distress is placed on the patient in order to complete this study. Current treatments consist primarily of non-invasive treatment with intravenous fluids and caffeine therapy and invasive treatment by Epidural Blood Patch. Efficacy of Caffeine 300mg IV bis in die (BID) x 1d doses is approximately 70% (2). However this therapy has been linked to post-treatment seizures. EBP was originally thought to be 90% effective with repeat treatment efficacy approaching \>96%. However more recent studies by Taivainen et al (3) have shown only a 61% rate of permanent cure. Additionally, EBP are contraindicated in patients with signs of increased intra-cranial pressure (ICP), coagulation issues, signs/symptoms of Central Nervous System (CNS) /systemic infection or local infection at the site of the EBP, thus resulting in decreased utility. Complications are also quite serious ranging from meningitis, spinal hematoma, repeat dural puncture, localized infection and vagal response to the procedure. EBP are not typically performed until after conservative measures have failed which leads to further prolongation of the patients decreased functional status and pain. Additionally, the cost of both treatments is substantial considering prolonged ED visits for conservative treatments often followed by the time and expense of an EBP. The goal of this investigation is to aid in the confirmation of case reports advocating the economy, efficacy and safety of synthetic Adrenal CorticTropin Hormone (ACTH) as a treatment of PDPH (4,5,6,7,8,9).

Timeline

Start

2010-08

Primary completion

2014-04

Completion

2014-04

Publications

• Background VANDAM LD, DRIPPS RD. Long-term follow-up of patients who received 10,098 spinal anesthetics; syndrome of decreased intracranial pressure (headache and ocular and auditory difficulties). J Am Med Assoc. 1956 Jun 16;161(7):586-91. doi: 10.1001/jama.1956.02970070018005. No abstract available.
• Background Sechzer PH, Abel L. Post-spinal anesthesia headache treated with caffeine. Evaluation with demand method. Part I. Curr Therap Res 1978; 24:307-12.
• Background Taivainen T, Pitkanen M, Tuominen M, Rosenberg PH. Efficacy of epidural blood patch for postdural puncture headache. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 1993 Oct;37(7):702-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1993.tb03793.x.
• Background Collier BB. Treatment for post dural puncture headache. Br J Anaesth. 1994 Mar;72(3):366-7. doi: 10.1093/bja/72.3.366-c. No abstract available.
• Background Foster P. ACTH treatment for post-lumbar puncture headache. Br J Anaesth. 1994 Sep;73(3):429. doi: 10.1093/bja/73.3.429-a. No abstract available.
• Background Carter BL, Pasupuleti R. Use of intravenous cosyntropin in the treatment of postdural puncture headache. Anesthesiology. 2000 Jan;92(1):272-4. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200001000-00043. No abstract available.
• Background Gupta S, Agrawal A. Postdural puncture headache and ACTH. J Clin Anesth. 1997 May;9(3):258. doi: 10.1016/s0952-8180(97)00042-1. No abstract available.

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