Table 3.

Characteristics of COVID-19 related headache in relation to gender, smoking state, pre-existing primary headache disorder, fever, dehydration, steroids, comorbidities and COVID-19 severity.

	Frequency/week, median (IQR)	Duration (hours), median (IQR)	VAS, median (IQR)
Gender
Males, n = 64 (37.2%)	3 (2–7)	16 (2–24)	7 (0–10)
Females, n = 108 (62.8%)	5 (2–7)	12 (2–24)	8 (0–10)
p-value	0.56	0.54	0.51
Smoking state
Smoker, n = 15 (8.7%)	6 (2–7)	16 (2–24)	7 (4–10)
Non-smoker, n = 157 (91.2 %)	4 (2–7)	10 (2–24)	5 (0–10)
p-value	0.45	0.36	0.77
Pre-existing primaryheadache*
With, n = 91 (52.9%)	7 (3–7)	12 (4–16)	7 (5–8)
Without, n = 81 (47.1%)	3 (2–7)	6 (2–16)	7 (5–8)
p-value	<0.001*	0.55	0.34
Fever*
With, n = 120 (69.8%)	7 (3–7)	11 (4–16)	7 (6–8)
Without, n = 52 (30.2%)	3 (2–7)	6 (2–16)	6 (4–8)
p-value	0.003*	0.292	0.012*
Dehydration*
With, n = 111 (64.5%)	7 (3–7)	6 (2–16)	7 (5–8)
Without, n = 61 (35.5%)	3 (2–7)	6 (2–16)	6 (5–8)
p-value	0.029*	0.506	0.201
Steroids
Received, n = 54 (31.4%)	7 (3–7)	6 (2–13)	7 (5–8)
Not received, n = 118 (68.6%)	7 (3–7)	6 (4–16)	7 (5–8)
p-value	0.965	0.295	0.924
Comorbidities
With, n = 34 (19.8%)	7 (7–7)	12 (2–16)	8 (6–10)
Without, n = 138 (80.2%)	5 (2–7)	6 (2–16)	6.5 (5–8)
p-value	0.006*	0.235	0.003*
Grading severity of COVID-19 infection
Mild, n = 116 (67.4%)	3 (2–7)	6 (2–15)	6 (5–8)
Moderate, n = 42 (24.4%)	7 (3–7)	12 (2–16)	8 (6.75–9)
Severe, n = 14 (8.1%)	7 (2.75–7)	6 (2–16)	7 (5–8.25)
p-value	0.032*	0.134	0.007*

VAS: visual analogue scale.

Note: Bold p-values < 0.05 are considered significant.

*These groups were matched regarding age, sex, comorbidities and COVID-19 severity.