Prevalence Of Primary Headaches Research Articles

The prevalence and impact of primary headaches in orphaned children: a cross-sectional, observational study in a boarding school

ABSTRACT The relationship between headache and stressful life events experienced in childhood has been found mostly associated with recurrent primary headaches and headache chronicity. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, clinical characteristics, daily life impact of migraine and tension-type headache in orphaned children with low income in a boarding school. Four hundred and fifteen permanent boarders aged 12–17 years were evaluated using the Structured Headache Questionnaire, the Pediatric Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (PedMIDAS), the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Prevalence of primary headache was 59.8%; 24.1% for migraine; 35.7% for tension-type headache; 4.1% for chronic migraine; and 2.4% for chronic tension-type headache. Prevalence of probable diagnoses was found to be higher in early ages; however, definite diagnoses became more common with age. Sex distribution was affected by age in migraineurs. The most distinctive features separating migraine were high frequency, pain severity, throbbing/pounding nature, photophobia, phonophobia, nausea, vomiting, and aggravated by physical activity. Prodromal symptoms and triggering factors were more closely associated with migraine. Sleep was the most common method to relieve of headache, taking medicines was preferred more commonly in migraineurs with a higher mean number of analgesics. Mean VAS, PedMIDAS, and total difficulty scores were higher in migraineurs, emotional problems were found increased in migraine. Headache is underestimated in pediatric population when probable diagnoses are not evaluated. The prevalence of primary headaches and the risk of chronic headaches are high in orphaned students, especially in older adolescent girls, and the effect of headache on daily life is evident.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Primary Headache as well as Coping Strategies among Medical Students of Taibah University

Background: Primary headaches are more prevalent than secondary headache, accounted for about 90% of cases. Prevalence of headache among university students was high. Moreover, medical students have higher prevalence of all headache types than other university students. Aims of our study were to investigate the prevalence and character of primary headache as well as coping strategies among medical students. Subjects and Methods: A cross sectional observational study was conducted among a sample of medical students (from 2nd to 6th academic years) at Taibah University in Al-Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A self-administrated valid English questionnaire was applied, which contains demographics of students, 23 questions about the primary headache character and coping strategies used with headache. Results: The study included 488 medical students. Their age ranged between 18 to 26 years with a mean (±) SD of 21.78±1.41. Females represented 58% of them. The prevalence of primary headache among the participants was 94.9%. Regarding the usual site of the primary headache, frontal ranked first (41.5%), followed by generalized (34.8%), temporal (32.8%) and orbital (22.7%). The commonest reported quality of primary headache was pressing/tightening (60.9%). The commonest reported therapy/medication was paracetamol (69.8%), followed by sleeping (54%), and caffeine (26.1%). Academic level was not affected by 54.5% of male students compared to 42.8% of females. This difference was statistically significant, p=0.041. Conclusion: Primary headache is very prevalent among medical students at Taibah University, with no difference between them according to age, gender and academic level. It impacts the academic performance of a considerable proportion of the students, particularly males.

Migraine in Adult Primary Care

Migraine is a prevalent primary headache disorder characterized by episodic attacks. It affects more than 1 billion people worldwide. Because of its episodic nature and varying symptomology, migraine is often underdiagnosed and undertreated in the primary care setting. Migraine is often disabling, and the negative burden of migraine impacts financial, socioeconomic, and personal aspects of the client’s life. Several treatments are available for acute migraine attacks, including a few novel medications. The management of migraine is complex and involves both acute treatment and prevention. Ultimately, accurate assessment, diagnosis, and collaboration lead to a more optimal course of treatment and management.

Prevalence of Primary Headache among Medical Students in Northern Border University

Medical students have been the subject of several studies since they are a high-risk category for stress and primary headache. Previous study on primary headache problems in medical students discovered a connection between low academic performance and the need for intervention. The purpose of this study is to find out how common primary headache problems are among medical students at Northern Border University in Arar, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was carried out by using an online admi

Study of Clinical Profile and Association of Migraine with Dyslipidemia

Background: Headache is common neurological problem experienced by ninety percent of the subjects globally. Prevalence of primary headache, mostly due to migraine, is ten to fifteen percent among the subjects worldwide and is the most disabling amongst the primary headache syndromes. This study intends to find out the clinical profile of migraine and investigate its association with dyslipidemia Also it will assess the effect of dyslipidemia on migraine’s severity, frequency and intensity.
 Methods: This Observational Cross sectional study will be conducted at AVBRH, Wardha. Routine clinical and biochemical tests, lipid profile, and neuroimaging of the patients will be carried out. Lipid profile parameters will be compared with migraine severity.
 Expected Results: A positive correlation is expected between the frequency, severity, and intensity in attacks of migraine.
 Conclusion: Aderanged lipid profile have profound effect on migraine attacks. The severity of intensity is aggravated in cases of deranged lipid profile.

Causes and Treatment of Tension Headache: A Review

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent primary headache problem, affecting 46 percent to 78 percent of people at some point in their lives. However, the majority have episodic infrequent TTH (1 day per month or fewer) with no specific need for medical treatment. The diagnosis is made based on the patient's medical history and physical examination. The exact etiology of tension-type headache is unknown. The most likely cause of rare tension-type headaches is activation of hyperexcitable peripheral afferent neurons from head and neck muscles. Nondrug management is commonly utilized and should be considered for all patients with TTH. The scientific evidence for the efficacy of most treatment approaches, on the other hand, is limited. Pharmacological treatment depends on whether the headache is acute or chronic. In this review we will cover the disease epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, and management.
 The aim is to study the Causes and Treatment of Tension Headache method a population-based study in Denmark, About 24% to 37% of the population experienced TTH several times a month, 10% had it weekly, and 2% to 3% of the population had chronic TTH,
 In contrast to migraine, women are only slightly more affected than males (the female-to-male ratio of TTH is 5:4), and onset is delayed (25 to 30 years). Between the ages of 30 and 39.

Correlation between depression level and headache severity: A study among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Headache is the most prevailing disorder and the third leading cause of disability worldwide. The prevalence of primary headaches has been reported to increase by 2-4 times in patients with psychiatric comorbidities, including depression. This study sought to assess the correlation between depression level and headache severity among medical students. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the correlation between depression level and headache severity in Indonesia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of Airlangga University in 2021. To evaluate the level of depression and the severity of headache, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42) and Headache Impact Test 6 (HIT-6) were used, respectively. A set of validated questionnaires were used to assess students' demographic characteristics. A total of 82 medical students were included in this study and most of them were female (86.6%). The third-semester students represented the highest proportion (45.2%) of subjects. The mean age and body mass index (BMI) were 19.88 ± 1.03 and 22.55±4.44, respectively. The average DASS-42 score was 10.98±11.47 which indicated a mild depression level. The average HIT-6 score was 45.74±6.130 which revealed a mild impact. The data of Spearman correlation suggested that headache severity was significantly correlated with depression level (r=0.396, p<0.001). This study provides insights on the importance of stress management and depression prevention to decrease the risk of headache, and vice versa.

Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuation in Multiple Frequency Bands in Tension-Type Headache Patients: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Purpose: Tension-type headache (TTH), the most prevalent primary headache disorder, imposes an enormous burden on the people of the world. The quest to ease suffering from this neurological disorder has sustained research interest. The present study aimed at evaluating the amplitude of low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) of the brain in multiple frequency bands in patients with TTH.Methods: To address this question, 63 participants were enrolled in the study, including 32 TTH patients and 31 healthy controls (HCs). For all the participants, amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) was measured in six frequency bands (conventional frequency bands, 0.01–0.08 Hz; slow-2, 0.198–0.25 Hz; slow-3, 0.073–0.198 Hz; slow-4, 0.027–0.073 Hz; slow-5, 0.01–0.027 Hz; and slow-6, 0–0.01 Hz), and the differences between TTH patients and HCs were examined. To explore the relationship between the altered ALFF brain regions in the six frequency bands and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score in the TTH patients, Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed.Results: In all the six frequency bands, a decreased ALFF value was detected, and regions showing reduced ALFF values were mostly located in the middle frontal gyrus and superior gyrus. A frequency-dependent alternating characterization of intrinsic brain activity was found in the left caudate nucleus in the slow-2 band of 0.198–0.25 Hz and in the right inferior frontal orbital gyrus in the slow-5 band of 0.01–0.027 Hz. For the correlation results, both the left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri and right superior parietal gyrus showed a positive correlation with the VAS score in the slow-4 frequency band of 0.027–0.073 Hz.Conclusion: The ALFF alterations in the brain regions of TTH patients are involved in pain processing. The altered LFOs in the multiple regions may help promote the understanding of the pathophysiology of TTH. These observations could also allow the future treatment of TTH to be more directional and targeted and could promote the development of TTH treatment.

Burden of migraine in Arab countries

More than 54 Million people annually suffer from headaches. Migraine and TTH are the most prevalent primary headache disorders. Globally >10% of the population is estimated to suffer from migraine which ranges from 9.7% in North America to 16.4% in South America. Migraine is in the second place among the leading causes of disability through 1990 up to 2016 showing the ongoing burden of the disease, about 1 billion patients worldwide. Migraine is associated with substantial personal, family and economic burden, which worsens with increased frequency of attacks. Prevalence of migraine in different Arab countries will be discussed.

Headache in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: characteristics, brain MRI patterns, and impact

BackgroundThe prevalence of primary headache in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) varies widely and whether it should be attributed to neurological involvement is controversial. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of headache in SLE patients, describe its association with disease-related variables and brain imaging, and explore its impact on life.ResultsThe overall prevalence of headache was 54.4%, and migraine was the most common type among headache sufferers (48.4%). Headache severity (VAS) and impact (HIT-6) correlated with SLEDAI-2K (P = 0.019 and P < 0.001, respectively) as well as with each other (P = 0.006). Brain imaging abnormalities were found in 25.8%, with white-matter hyperintensities (WMH) being the most frequent pathology. Musculoskeletal manifestations, positive anti-phospholipid (aPL) antibodies, and SLEDAI score ≥ 13.5 were identified as predictors of headache.ConclusionPrimary headache, especially migraine, is a common feature of patients with SLE, and its presence is associated with negative impact on quality of life. Musculoskeletal features, aPL positivity, and overall disease activity appear to predict primary headache in SLE.

The first prevalence study of primary headaches in adults in a post-conflict area of Serbia.

The aim of the present study was to establish annual prevalence of primary headaches, migraine, and tension-type headache among adults in a post-conflict area of Serbia. The data for this cross-sectional study was obtained via face-to-face interviews using questionnaires specifically designed for this purpose, in line with the available guidelines. The study sample included adults aged 18-65 years whose native language is Serbian with residence in six predominantly Serbian communities in Kosovo and Metohija. Relevant diagnoses were established according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. The study included 1062 adults. Analyses indicated 47.7% prevalence of primary headaches. The 1-year prevalence of migraine (with aura and without aura) and tension-type headache was established at 15.2% (3.3% and 11.9%), and 32.2%, respectively. One-year prevalence of chronic headache was calculated at 3.5%, while the prevalence of medication overuse headache was slightly lower at 2.9%. Primary headaches were more prevalent among women, participants residing south of the river Ibar, married or cohabiting individuals, as well as among interviewees (persons) who reported feeling unsafe in Kosovo and Metohija. This is the first study of the prevalence of primary headache disorders in Serbia. The obtained data is comparable to the data available for other countries, especially those in the Balkan region.

Headache during pregnancy: Etiologies and applicability of the ICHD-3 criteria

IntroductionGiven the high prevalence of primary headache in the young population, and the rate of pregnancy in this age group, it is unsurprising that pregnant women present a high likelihood of consulting due to headache. ObjectivesThis study seeks to determine the main aetiologies and predictors of headache and the usefulness of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (third edition-beta; ICHD-3 beta) for differentiating primary from non-primary headaches in pregnant women at the emergency department. Patients and methodsWe performed a cross-sectional study comparing the prevalence of patients meeting the ICHD-3 beta criteria, associated symptoms, history of headache, and demographic features between primary and non-primary headaches. ResultsHeadache was responsible for 142 out of 2952 admissions (4.8%). Headache was primary, non-primary, or unclassified in 66.9%, 27.4%, and 5.6% of cases, respectively. Migraine and headache associated with hypertensive disorders were the most frequent aetiologies for primary and non-primary headaches: 91.6% and 31.4% of cases, respectively. The factors associated with primary headache were fulfilling the ICHD-3 beta criteria (OR: 23.5; 95% CI, 12.5–34.5; p<0.001), history of migraine (OR: 2.85; 95% CI, 1.18–5.94; p=0.013), history of similar episodes (OR: 6.4; 95% CI, 2.78–14.0; p<0.001), and description of phosphenes (OR: 4.2; 95% CI, 1.5–11.68; p=0.02). The factors associated with non-primary headaches were fever (OR: 12.8; 95% CI, 1.38–119; p=0.016) and mean arterial blood pressure greater than 106.6 (OR: 2.6; 95% CI, 1.7–3.5; p=0.03). ConclusionIn our study, the ICHD-3 beta criteria were useful for differentiating primary from non-primary headaches in pregnant women. History of migraine, history of similar episodes, phosphenes, fever, and high arterial blood pressure were also valuable predictors.

Primary headache and factors associated in university students: a cross sectional study

Introduction: Primary headaches, defined as disorders in themselves caused by independent pathomechanisms and not by other disorders, are prevalent in university students and considered one important health problems in the world. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of primary headaches and analyze associations with sociodemographic characteristics and the use of electronic devices by university students. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study analysis was carried out with a sample of 1,143 students of both genders who responded to the questionnaire on demographic, socioeconomic aspects, use of electronic devices, and on the primary headaches. Descriptive analysis, bivariate analysis, and Poisson regression were performed. Results: The overall prevalence of primary headache of 60.7%, being that, in relation to the type, 33.2% presented tension-type headache, 54.3% migraine, and 12.3% other types of headache. Regression analysis showed that female gender and income of up to two minimum wages were associated with primary headache and migraine type. The primary headache was associated with subjects of the white race; watching television and playing video games for more than 3 hours per day, for example. The sitting posture, semi-lying down, and distance from the eyes to the mobile phone and tablet longer than 20 cm were associated with primary headache and the three types of headaches. Conclusion: The results allow us to conclude that there is a high prevalence of primary headaches in college students and that socioeconomic factors related to the use of electronic devices are associated with the presence of primary headaches.

Structural and Functional Brain Changes in Migraine.

Migraine is a prevalent primary headache disorder and is usually considered as benign. However, structural and functional changes in the brain of individuals with migraine have been reported. High frequency of white matter abnormalities, silent infarct-like lesions, and volumetric changes in both gray and white matter in individuals with migraine compared to controls have been demonstrated. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies found altered connectivity in both the interictal and ictal phase of migraine. MR spectroscopy and positron emission tomography studies suggest abnormal energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction, as well as other metabolic changes in individuals with migraine. In this review, we provide a brief overview of neuroimaging studies that have helped us to characterize some of these changes and discuss their limitations, including small sample sizes and poorly defined control groups. A better understanding of alterations in the brains of patients with migraine could help not only in the diagnosis but may potentially lead to the optimization of a targeted anti-migraine therapy.

Health-related quality of life in tension-type headache: a population-based study.

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent primary headache disorder. We assessed the cross-sectional impact of TTH on health related quality of life (HRQoL) in a general population. We also examined the association of HRQoL scores with headache frequency, disability, medication overuse, poor self-rated health, psychiatric comorbidity, and pain sensitivity in individuals with TTH. A sample of 547 subjects completed a headache diagnostic interview, the SF-12 to calculate physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) health component scores, depression (major depression inventory [MDI]) and neuroticism (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire) measures. We defined the following headache diagnosis categories: pure TTH, pure migraine, and coexistent headache (TTH+migraine). Cases were further classified into chronic (≥15) or episodic (<15 headache days/month). Using generalized linear models (GLM) adjusted for age, sex and education, both PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores varied in groups distinguished by migraine and TTH status; scores were lower for individuals with coexistent headache (TTH+migraine; n=83), followed by pure TTH (n=97) and pure migraine (n=43) compared to the no headache group (n=324) (p≤0.001). In analyses considering chronicity, PCS-12 scores were lower in chronic coexistent headache followed by pure chronic TTH (CTTH), episodic migraine +/- episodic TTH (ETTH) and pure ETTH than in the no headache group (p≤0.001). MCS-12 scores were lower in pure CTTH, followed by chronic coexistent headache, episodic migraine +/- ETTH and pure ETTH compared to the no headache group (p≤0.001). Multiple regression models showed that in TTH, lower PCS-12 scores were associated with age (p=0.04), female sex (p=0.02), and poor self-rated health (p≤0.001). Lower MCS-12 scores in TTH were associated with depression (p≤0.001). In a population sample, TTH, and to higher degree CTTH, are associated with decreased HRQoL.

Analysis of the prevalence of headaches among the population in bukhara region

Primary headaches are common in the population and in some cases lead to impaired quality of life. The article discusses the prevalence of primary headaches among the population of Bukhara region. Headache intensity was found to be mild in 62% of cases, strong in 32% of cases, and very strong in 6% of cases. 73% ofpatients reported that headaches persisted using painkillers, 18% reported that painkillers occasionally worked, and 9% said they did not. The prevalence of primary headaches among the population of Bukhara region is higher than the world average.

The epidemiology of primary headaches in patients with multiple sclerosis.

ObjectiveRecent studies have shown a pathophysiologic link between headache and multiple sclerosis (MS), but the prevalence of primary headaches among patients with MS differs substantially across studies. This meta‐analysis aimed to comprehensively gather available evidence to estimate the prevalence of primary headaches among patients with MS.MethodWe systematically searched the electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, and Scopus for cohort, case–control, cross‐sectional studies that measured the prevalence of headache among patients with MS. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts to identify the eligible studies and the full texts of the included studies were reviewed. Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the risk of bias of the included literatures. We then conducted a meta‐analysis using Stata Software 15.0 to calculate the pooled prevalence of headaches among patients with MS and assess the source of heterogeneity.ResultsWe identified 16 eligible studies covering a total of 3,560 patients with MS. The pooled estimated prevalence of primary headaches among patients with MS was 56%. The statistical heterogeneity was moderate with I 2 of 82.1% (p < .001). Both a visual inspection of the funnel plot and Egger’ regression tests revealed no significant publication bias (p = .44). The pooled estimated prevalence of migraine (55%) was higher in comparison with that of tension‐type headache (20%). The prevalence of migraine subtype was 16% and 10% for migraine without aura and migraine with aura, respectively. The pooled prevalence of primary headache in case–control group (57%) was approximately in line with the cross‐sectional group (56%).ConclusionThe overall prevalence of primary headaches among patients with MS was considerably high. Clinical screening of headache among patients with MS will be helpful to formulate an individualized treatment plans and alleviate the physical and mental impact of the disease.

Safety and Efficacy of Melatonin in Chronic Tension-Type Headache: A Post-Marketing Real-World Surveillance Program.

IntroductionTension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent primary headache. Every year, about 2–3% of patients with TTH progress to chronic TTH with daily or near-daily headache, warranting preventive treatment. The treatment of chronic TTH is complex and very often associated with significant tolerability issues. To date, melatonin has been studied in only a few small uncontrolled trials. The aim of this surveillance program was to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin (Melaxen®) in patients with TTH and disruption of circadian rhythms in real-world practice.MethodsSixty-one patients with chronic TTH were enrolled. After the 30-day baseline period, patients took 3 mg of melatonin at bedtime for 30 days with a follow-up period of another 30 days. VAS pain intensity assessments, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), HIT-6 and Levin sleep quality scores were obtained at the baseline visit, at month 1, and month 2.ResultsA significant decrease in the number of headache days per month, VAS pain intensity, HAM-A, HAM-D and HIT-6 scores, and an improvement in sleep quality were observed throughout the study. No treatment-emergent adverse events were reported.ConclusionsMelatonin is an effective and safe alternative for the treatment of chronic TTH.

Misperception of Visual Verticality in Patients with Primary Headache Disorders: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) are the two most prevalent primary headache disorders (PHDs) that may involve visual and vestibular impairments, neck pain, and postural unsteadiness. The perception of visual verticality (VV) has been studied in patients diagnosed with PHD to assess balance disorders showing varying findings. Our study aimed to assess the VV perception in patients diagnosed with PHD in comparison to healthy controls. A systematic review with meta-analysis was carried out in PubMed MEDLINE, Scopus, WOS, CINAHL, and SciELO. The Cohen standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to estimate the differences between exposed and healthy controls. Seven studies with 816 participants were included. The quality of included studies, according to the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS), was moderate (mean score of 5.2). Patients diagnosed with PHD showed a moderate misperception of VV as assessed with the subjective visual vertical (SVV) test (SMD = 0.530; 95% CI = 0.225, 0.836; p < 0.001). Specifically, a misperception of the SVV was found in patients with migraine (SMD = 0.369; 95% CI = 0.1, 0.638; p = 0.007) and with TTH (SMD = 1.122; 95% CI = 0.540, 1.704; p < 0.001). This review shows a misperception of VV in patients with migraine and TTH when assessed with the SVV test, being higher in patients with TTH, although the THH sample size was low.

Impact of Puberty in Girls on Prevalence of Primary Headache Disorder Among Female Schoolchildren in Kuwait.

Background: The prevalence of primary headaches in the pediatric population is shaped by many factors, of which pubertal status may possibly play a substantial role. Epidemiological studies in the pediatric population in the gulf region remain scarce.Aims and objectives: To examine the impact of puberty on the prevalence of primary headache disorders among female schoolchildren in Kuwait.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that included Kuwaiti primary and middle schoolgirls in randomly selected schools located in two governorates in Kuwait during the academic year 2018/2019. Prevalence of headache was assessed using the Headache-Attributed Restriction, Disability, Social Handicap and Impaired Participation (HARDSHIP) questionnaire for children and adolescents. Female students were asked about their menarchal status and whether they attained menarche before or after experiencing headaches.Results: The questionnaire was completed by 669 girls with a mean age of 11.44 ± 2.14 years. The 1-year prevalence of migraine headache disorder among girls was 23.62%, and the lifetime prevalence of any headache was 84.9%, whereas the 1-year prevalence of primary headache disorders was 47.98%. The mean age of girls with headaches was 11.44 ± 2.14 years. With respect to diagnostic criteria, migraine headache was the most frequently reported (23.62%), followed by tension-type headaches (20.93%), chronic headaches (2.99%), and probable medication-overuse headaches (0.45%). Postpubertal females were at significantly higher risk of having primary headaches compared to their prepubertal counterparts (64.26 vs. 34%; p < 0.0001). All types of primary headaches were more significantly prevalent among postpubertal girls compared to those who are prepubertal.Conclusion: Migraine headache is commonly reported among Kuwaiti schoolgirls. Postpubertal females are at higher risk of developing primary headaches compared to prepubertal females. Pubertal transition and female sex hormones may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of headaches, migraines in particular, and further research is therefore needed to investigate the underlying mechanisms.