Anxiety in children and adolescents with primary headaches: diagnosis and treatment options

Abstract

To determine the comorbidity of primary headaches (PH) and anxiety in adolescents and the effectiveness of aminophenylbutyric acid (Anvifen) in the treatment of anxiety (750 mg per day for 21 days). Group 1 - «episodic PH» (up to 15 days with headaches per month for 12 months) - 84 patients (mean age 15.5±1.3 years; 46.4% boys, 53.6% girls). Group 2 - «chronic PH» (15 days or more with headache per month for 12 months) - 55 patients (mean age 15.2±1.4 years; 44.3% boys, 55.7% girls). Group 3 - «teenagers without headache» (have not experienced pain in the last 6 months) - 67 people (mean age 15.7±1.4 years; 44.8% boys, 55.2% girls). Anxiety assessment using the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale (PARS): number of symptoms (patient); number of symptoms (expert); severity scale (expert); clinical examination (expert). Before/after treatment: group 1 number of symptoms (patient) = 24 [23; 26]/9 [8; 10], number of symptoms (expert) = 23 [22; 25]/12 [12; 13], severity scale (expert) = 21 [20; 25]/9 [8; 11], clinical examination (expert) = 14 [13; 14]/9 [8; 9]; group 2 number of symptoms (patient) = 47 [46; 48]/43 [45; 47], number of symptoms (expert) = 40 [38; 41]/39 [38; 40], severity scale (expert) =33 [31; 34]/32 [31; 34], clinical examination (expert) = 20 [20; 22]/19 [19; 21]. Anxiety is a comorbid symptom in adolescents with PH, it is more pronounced in chronic PH. Anvifen has high efficacy in the treatment of anxiety comorbid with episodic PH, moderate efficacy in chronic PH. Treatment of anxiety in adolescents should begin as early as possible to prevent chronicity of the disease.