Towards the computerisation of ANIRCEF Headache Centres. Presentation of AIDA CEFALEE, a computer assisted diagnosis database for the management of headache patients.

Because of the lack of biochemical or neuroradiological markers, the diagnostic assessment of primary headaches rests on a clinical history collected by an experienced physician; the articulated criteria of the International Headache Society (IHS) represent the only available tool to test objectively the diagnostic hypothesis rising from clinical interview. However, the complexity reached by IHS criteria still represents its major limit to extensive application, at least in common clinical settings. The use of modern information technology (IT), which is specifically designed to manage complex problems with a large number of variables, seems to be the best choice to counteract the complexity of IHS classification. In this paper AIDA CEFALEE, a user-friendly client-server database for the management of headache patients, is presented. The system integrates a computer assisted diagnosis module, which may help to extend the correct use of IHS diagnostic criteria to any clinical setting. The interoperability of the system may represent the possible infrastructure of a National Network of ANIRCEF Headache Centres.