U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

SUNCT syndrome

MedGen UID:
224724
•Concept ID:
C1262087
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Short-lasting, Unilateral, Neuralgiform headache attacks with Conjunctival injection and Tearing; SUNCT headache
SNOMED CT: Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing syndrome (725058003); SUNCT (short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing) syndrome (725058003); SUNCT syndrome (725058003)
Modes of inheritance:
Not genetically inherited
MedGen UID:
988794
•Concept ID:
CN307044
•
Finding
Source: Orphanet
clinical entity without genetic inheritance.
See: This record
Not genetically inherited (Orphanet)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0018927
Orphanet: ORPHA57145

Definition

A primary headache disorder with characteristics of unilateral trigeminal pain that occurs in association with ipsilateral cranial autonomic symptoms (conjunctival injection and tearing). The disease manifests with strictly unilateral pain attacks of moderate-to-severe intensity. The typical patient may have 50 to 100 short attacks a day, lasting for 1 to 5 minutes. The attacks predominate during the daytime. Prominent, ipsilateral conjunctival injection and lacrimation regularly accompany the attacks. Trauma, arteriovenous malformations and pituitary adenoma may have a causative role. [from SNOMEDCT_US]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVSUNCT syndrome
Follow this link to review classifications for SUNCT syndrome in Orphanet.

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Lamotrigine in the treatment of pain syndromes and neuropathic pain.
Titlic M, Jukic I, Tonkic A, Josipovic-Jelic Z, Boschi V, Mihalj M, Punda A
Bratisl Lek Listy 2008;109(9):421-4. PMID: 19040151
SUNCT Syndrome: diagnosis and treatment.
Pareja JA, Caminero AB, Sjaastad O
CNS Drugs 2002;16(6):373-83. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216060-00002. PMID: 12027784
Effective management of ice pick pains, SUNCT, and episodic and chronic paroxysmal hemicrania.
Newman LC
Curr Pain Headache Rep 2001 Jun;5(3):292-9. doi: 10.1007/s11916-001-0046-6. PMID: 11309219

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for SUNCT: A Case Series.
Franzini A, Milani D, Attuati L, Navarria P, Pessina F, Picozzi P
Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2023;101(2):86-92. Epub 2023 Feb 2 doi: 10.1159/000528632. PMID: 36731452
Cluster headache and TACs: state of the art.
Giani L, Proietti Cecchini A, Leone M
Neurol Sci 2020 Dec;41(Suppl 2):367-375. doi: 10.1007/s10072-020-04639-4. PMID: 32845489
A prospective comparative study and analysis of predictors of SUNA and SUNCT.
Lambru G, Rantell K, Levy A, Matharu MS
Neurology 2019 Sep 17;93(12):e1127-e1137. Epub 2019 Aug 19 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000008134. PMID: 31427501
SUNCT, SUNA and trigeminal neuralgia: different disorders or variants of the same disorder?
Lambru G, Matharu MS
Curr Opin Neurol 2014 Jun;27(3):325-31. doi: 10.1097/WCO.0000000000000090. PMID: 24792341
SUNCT syndrome: an update.
Pareja JA, Cuadrado ML
Expert Opin Pharmacother 2005 Apr;6(4):591-9. doi: 10.1517/14656566.6.4.591. PMID: 15934885

Diagnosis

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache attacks (SUNCT/SUNA): a narrative review of interventional therapies.
Smit RD, Mouchtouris N, Kang K, Reyes M, Sathe A, Collopy S, Prashant G, Yuan H, Evans JJ
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2023 Jan;94(1):49-56. Epub 2022 Aug 17 doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-329588. PMID: 35977820
SUNCT and SUNA: an Update and Review.
Arca KN, Halker Singh RB
Curr Pain Headache Rep 2018 Jun 21;22(8):56. doi: 10.1007/s11916-018-0707-3. PMID: 29931416
SUNCT/SUNA: A Review.
Pomeroy JL, Nahas SJ
Curr Pain Headache Rep 2015 Aug;19(8):38. doi: 10.1007/s11916-015-0511-2. PMID: 26092511
Cluster headache.
Leroux E, Ducros A
Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008 Jul 23;3:20. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-20. PMID: 18651939Free PMC Article
SUNCT Syndrome: diagnosis and treatment.
Pareja JA, Caminero AB, Sjaastad O
CNS Drugs 2002;16(6):373-83. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216060-00002. PMID: 12027784

Therapy

SUNCT and SUNA: An Update.
Duggal AK, Chowdhury D
Neurol India 2021 Mar-Apr;69(Supplement):S144-S159. doi: 10.4103/0028-3886.315990. PMID: 34003160
Primary headache disorders.
Benoliel R, Eliav E
Dent Clin North Am 2013 Jul;57(3):513-39. Epub 2013 Jun 4 doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2013.04.005. PMID: 23809307
SUNCT and SUNA: medical and surgical treatments.
Lambru G, Matharu MS
Neurol Sci 2013 May;34 Suppl 1:S75-81. doi: 10.1007/s10072-013-1366-0. PMID: 23695051
Cluster headache.
Leroux E, Ducros A
Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008 Jul 23;3:20. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-20. PMID: 18651939Free PMC Article
SUNCT Syndrome: diagnosis and treatment.
Pareja JA, Caminero AB, Sjaastad O
CNS Drugs 2002;16(6):373-83. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216060-00002. PMID: 12027784

Prognosis

A prospective comparative study and analysis of predictors of SUNA and SUNCT.
Lambru G, Rantell K, Levy A, Matharu MS
Neurology 2019 Sep 17;93(12):e1127-e1137. Epub 2019 Aug 19 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000008134. PMID: 31427501
Phenotypic and treatment outcome data on SUNCT and SUNA, including a randomised placebo-controlled trial.
Weng HY, Cohen AS, Schankin C, Goadsby PJ
Cephalalgia 2018 Aug;38(9):1554-1563. Epub 2017 Nov 2 doi: 10.1177/0333102417739304. PMID: 29096522Free PMC Article
The Neuropharmacology of Cluster Headache and other Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias.
Costa A, Antonaci F, Ramusino MC, Nappi G
Curr Neuropharmacol 2015;13(3):304-23. doi: 10.2174/1570159x13666150309233556. PMID: 26411963Free PMC Article
The usual treatment of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias.
Pareja JA, Álvarez M
Headache 2013 Oct;53(9):1401-14. doi: 10.1111/head.12193. PMID: 24090529
Cluster headache.
Leroux E, Ducros A
Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008 Jul 23;3:20. doi: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-20. PMID: 18651939Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for SUNCT: A Case Series.
Franzini A, Milani D, Attuati L, Navarria P, Pessina F, Picozzi P
Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 2023;101(2):86-92. Epub 2023 Feb 2 doi: 10.1159/000528632. PMID: 36731452
A prospective comparative study and analysis of predictors of SUNA and SUNCT.
Lambru G, Rantell K, Levy A, Matharu MS
Neurology 2019 Sep 17;93(12):e1127-e1137. Epub 2019 Aug 19 doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000008134. PMID: 31427501
The Treatment of Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias: An Overview.
Ramusino MC, Perini G, Antonaci F, Costa A
J Oral Facial Pain Headache 2019 Winter;33(1):89-104. doi: 10.11607/ofph.1922. PMID: 30703174
The Neuropharmacology of Cluster Headache and other Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias.
Costa A, Antonaci F, Ramusino MC, Nappi G
Curr Neuropharmacol 2015;13(3):304-23. doi: 10.2174/1570159x13666150309233556. PMID: 26411963Free PMC Article
SUNCT Syndrome: diagnosis and treatment.
Pareja JA, Caminero AB, Sjaastad O
CNS Drugs 2002;16(6):373-83. doi: 10.2165/00023210-200216060-00002. PMID: 12027784

Recent systematic reviews

Pediatric-onset trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Ghosh A, Silva E, Burish MJ
Cephalalgia 2021 Nov;41(13):1382-1395. Epub 2021 Aug 18 doi: 10.1177/03331024211027560. PMID: 34407646

Supplemental Content

Table of contents

    Clinical resources

    Practice guidelines

    • PubMed
      See practice and clinical guidelines in PubMed. The search results may include broader topics and may not capture all published guidelines. See the FAQ for details.

    Reviews

    Related information

    • MeSH
      Related Medical Subject Headings
    • PMC Articles
      Related information in PubMed Central Links
    • PubMed
      Related literature resources in PubMed

    Recent activity

    Clear Turn Off Turn On

    Your browsing activity is empty.

    Activity recording is turned off.

    Turn recording back on

    See more...