Table 3.
Demographic and clinical profiles of patients with sudden and thunderclap headaches
| |
Sudden headache |
Thunderclap headache |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Total |
RCVS |
Non-RCVS |
P |
Total |
RCVS |
Non-RCVS |
P | |
| (n = 31) | (n = 14) | (n = 17) | (n = 24) | (n = 11) | (n = 13) | |||
| Age (years) |
45.3 ± 10.7 |
50.8 ± 9.3 |
40.8 ± 10.0 |
0.006 |
45.7 ± 10.5 |
49.4 ± 10.0 |
42.6 ± 10.3 |
0.092 |
| Female |
21 (67.7%) |
12 (85.7%) |
10 (58.8%) |
0.132 |
16 (66.7%) |
9 (81.8%) |
8 (61.5%) |
0.386 |
| Previous headache |
17 (54.8%) |
10 (71.4%) |
7 (41.2%) |
0.149 |
14 (58.3%) |
8 (72.7%) |
6 (46.2%) |
0.240 |
| Precipitating factors |
|
|
|
0.304 |
|
|
|
0.576 |
| None |
25 (80.6%) |
9 (64.3%) |
16 (94.1%) |
|
19 (79.2%) |
7 (63.6%) |
12 (92.3%) |
|
| Vasoactive substances |
4 (12.9%) |
3 (21.4%) |
1 (5.9%) |
|
3 (12.5%) |
2 (18.2%) |
1 (7.7%) |
|
| Postpartum |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
| Headache characters | ||||||||
| Intensity |
8.4 ± 1.7 |
8.6 ± 1.9 |
8.3 ± 1.6 |
0.375 |
8.7 ± 1.2 |
8.8 ± 1.5 |
8.5 ± 0.9 |
0.502 |
| Location |
|
|
|
1.0 |
|
|
|
1.0 |
| Bilateral |
17 (70.8%) |
7 (70%) |
10 (71.4%) |
|
14 (70.0%) |
6 (66.7%) |
8 (72.7%) |
|
| Duration |
|
|
|
0.007 |
|
|
|
0.004 |
| < 1 hour |
14 (51.9%) |
3 (23.1%) |
11 (78.6%) |
|
10 (45.5%) |
1 (10.0%) |
9 (75.0%) |
|
| Single attack |
4 (12.9%) |
0 |
4 (23.5%) |
0.107 |
2 (15.4%) |
0 |
2 (8.3%) |
0.482 |
| Lingering pain |
12 (38.7%) |
6 (42.9%) |
6 (35.3%) |
0.724 |
10 (41.7%) |
5 (45.5%) |
5 (38.5%) |
1.0 |
| Triggers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Sexual activity |
9 (29.0%) |
2 (14.3%) |
7 (41.2%) |
0.132 |
7 (29.2%) |
2 (18.2%) |
5 (38.5%) |
0.386 |
| Exertion§ |
5 (16.1%) |
0 |
5 (29.4%) |
0.048 |
4 (16.7%) |
0 |
4 (30.8%) |
0.098 |
| Valsalva maneuver§ |
14 (45.2%) |
8 (57.1%) |
6 (35.3%) |
0.289 |
10 (41.7%) |
6 (54.5%) |
4 (30.8%) |
0.408 |
| Emotion§ |
3 (9.7%) |
1 (7.1%) |
2 (11.8%) |
1.0 |
3 (12.5%) |
1 (9.1%) |
2 (15.4%) |
1.0 |
| Bathing* |
6 (19.4%) |
6 (42.9%) |
0 |
0.004 |
4 (16.7%) |
4 (36.4%) |
0 |
0.031 |
| Cough§ |
2 (6.5%) |
0 |
2 (11.8%) |
1.0 |
1 (4.2%) |
0 |
1 (7.7%) |
1.0 |
| Others |
6 (19.4%) |
5 (35.7%) |
1 (5.9%) |
0.067 |
4 (16.7%) |
3 (27.3%) |
1 (7.7%) |
0.300 |
| No triggers |
3 (9.7%) |
1 (7.1%) |
2 (11.8%) |
1.0 |
2 (8.3%) |
0 |
2 (15.4%) |
0.482 |
| Possible neurological symptoms |
3 (9.7%) |
2 (14.3%) |
1 (5.9%) |
0.576 |
1 (4.2%) |
1 (9.1%) |
0 |
0.458 |
| Abnormal CT or MRI† |
5 (16.1%) |
3 (21.4%) |
2 (11.8%) |
0.636 |
4 (16.7%) |
3 (27.3%) |
1 (7.7%) |
0.300 |
| Lumbar puncture |
3 (9.7%) |
3 (21.4%) |
0 |
0.081 |
2 (8.3%) |
2 (18.2%) |
0 |
0.199 |
| Angiography | 8 (25.8%) | 5 (35.7%) | 3 (17.6%) | 0.412 | 7 (29.2%) | 5 (45.5%) | 2 (15.4%) | 0.182 |
Values presented are either mean ± standard deviation or number (%).
RCVS: reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome; CT: computed tomography; MRI: magnetic resonance imaging.
§Valsalva maneuver includes defecation, urination, sneezing, bending, heavy lifting and related exercise. Laughing and crying are categorized as “emotion.” Exertion includes exercises not specifically involving Valsalva maneuvers. Cough includes only coughing but not straining or Valsalva maneuvers.
*Bathing includes also showering or exposure to water.
†Abnormal CT or MRI refers to changes other than vasospasm or moyamoya vessels.