Abstract
Although tension-type headache (TTH) is a frequent type of headache disorder and imposes a significant burden, there is scant information about the prevalence and impact of comorbid anxiety and depression among individuals with TTH. We investigated the prevalence and clinical impact of anxiety and depression among patients with TTH in the general population. We recruited Korean participants aged 19–69 years using a two-stage clustered random sampling method. To identify the presence of headache type, anxiety, and depression, we used a semi-structured interview using certain questionnaires. To assess the level of anxiety and depression, we used the Goldberg Anxiety Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-9, respectively. Among 2,695 participants, 570 people (21.2%) had TTH during previous 1 year. In participants with TTH, the prevalence of anxiety (9.5% vs. 5.3%, p = 0.001) and depression (4.2% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.001) was significantly higher than that of non-headache participants. The prevalence of anxiety among TTH participants with >15 attacks per month [21.4%, odds ratio (OR): 4.0] and 1–14 attacks per month (13.1%, OR: 2.2) was higher than that in those with <1 attack per month (6.4%), however this tendency was not observed in participants with depression. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score [median 5.0 vs. 4.0, p = 0.010] and Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) score [median 45.5 vs. 42.0, p < 0.001] were significantly higher among those with anxiety. Furthermore, VAS scores [median 5.0 vs. 4.0, p = 0.010] and HIT-6 scores [median 45.5 vs. 42.0, p = 0.027] were also significantly higher among TTH patients with depression than among those without depression. In conclusion, anxiety and depression were more prevalent in participants with TTH than in non-headache participants. These two conditions were associated with an exacerbation of headache symptoms in individuals with TTH.
Highlights
Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common type of headache and the third most common disorder in the world [1]
In this study, we investigated 1) the prevalence of TTH, anxiety, and depression in the general population of Korea; 2) the prevalence of anxiety and depression among participants with TTH; and 3) the differences in clinical characteristics of individuals with TTH, according to their anxiety and depression status using the data of KHSS
Headache characteristics, headache frequency per month, associated symptoms, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score for pain intensity, and Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6) score of participants with TTH grouped according to anxiety and depression status
Summary
Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most common type of headache and the third most common disorder in the world [1]. It has been considered as a non-serious disorder owing to its mild symptoms in most cases [2]. Anxiety and depression were more frequently associated with TTH compared to non-headache participants [4, 5]. Previous studies reported that there is no significant difference between patients with TTH and patients with migraine (frequently associated with anxiety or depression) [6, 7] regarding psychiatric comorbidity [8,9,10]. Anxiety and depression significantly affect sufferers’ quality of life and added a significant disability in patients with TTH [11]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
