The results of the carefully designed COMOESTAS study on medication overuse headache (MOH), presented by Dr. Cristina Tassorelli of Pavia, Italy, at the European Headache and Migraine Trust International Congress in London in September, are promising for patients with MOH. Patients overusing acute care medications in many countries throughout Europe and Latin America were treated with similar protocols of rapid detoxification from the overused medication, starting up of preventive medication, cautious use of acute care medication, and alerting of abuse by an electronic diary. The results, in terms of decreased headache days per month, less use of acute care medication, and improved disability and quality of life, with lessening of depression, were considerable. Certain rescue medications were permitted for the first seven days. Some patients were treated in the hospital, and some as outpatients.
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