Headache as a first manifestation of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

OBJECTIVES

To describe headache as an initial presentation of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND INTERVENTION

A 56-year-old man initially presented with a 6-month duration of a continuous, diffuse headache of mild to moderate and sometimes of severe intensity. A CT of the brain was normal. Neurological examination was normal, including absence of symptoms and signs of meningismus. During the last 2 months, an intermittent eye pain, redness, and gradual loss of vision in both eyes was detected and subsequently he had tinnitus, malaise, nausea and mild meningismus. He was diagnosed as having VKH disease. Ophthalmologic examination revealed high intraocular pressure, requiring trabeculectomy with surgical iridectomy. The patient is now being treated with systemic steroids.

CONCLUSION

VKH disease may initially present as sustained headache, without specific ophthalmologic symptoms and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with atypical but relentless headache.