Table 1.
Demographics and characteristics of RCVS patients
| All RCVS (N = 123) |
Post-RCVS headache | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (N = 60) | No (N = 63) | |||
| Age (years) | 46.6 ± 10.8 | 46.3 ± 9.7 | 46.9 ± 11.8 | 0.745 |
| Sex (female) | 86 (69.9) | 45 (75.0) | 41 (65.1) | 0.230 |
| Level of anxietya | 5.6 ± 3.2 | 6.5 ± 3.1 | 4.7 ± 3.0 | 0.004* |
| Level of depressiona | 4.3 ± 3.4 | 4.8 ± 3.4 | 3.8 ± 3.5 | 0.131 |
| Past history | ||||
| Any headache | 56 (45.5) | 32 (53.3) | 24 (38.1) | 0.091 |
| Migraine | 39 (31.7) | 26 (43.3) | 13 (20.6) | 0.007* |
| Hypertension | 6 (4.9) | 3 (5.0) | 3 (4.8) | 0.951 |
| Diabetes Mellitus | 5 (4.1) | 1 (1.7) | 4 (6.3) | 0.189 |
| Dyslipidemia | 4 (3.3) | 2 (3.3) | 2 (3.2) | 0.960 |
| Triggers for TCH | ||||
| Sexual activities | 54 (43.9) | 23 (38.3) | 31 (49.2) | 0.225 |
| Cough & Valsalva maneuvers | 54 (43.9) | 24 (40.0) | 30 (47.6) | 0.395 |
| Exertion | 29 (23.6) | 15 (25.0) | 14 (22.2) | 0.717 |
| Bathing | 32 (26.0) | 14 (23.3) | 18 (28.6) | 0.508 |
| Emotion | 17 (13.8) | 8 (13.3) | 9 (14.3) | 0.878 |
| Complicationsb | 4 (3.3) | 0 (0) | 4 (6.3) | N/A |
| Convexity SAH | 2 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| ICH | 1 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| Ischemic stroke | 1 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| PRES | 2 | 0 | 2 | N/A |
| Seizure | 1 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| Possible etiologies | ||||
| Post-partum | 5 | 3 | 2 | N/A |
| Vasoactive drugs | 2 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
| History of prior RCVS | 5 (4.1) | 3 (5) | 2 (3.2) | 0.608 |
Data were presented as n (%) or mean ± SD. * p < 0.05
a Levels of anxiety and depression were measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale
b A patient was complicated with more than one complication
ICH intracerebral hemorrhage; N/A not applicable for calculation; PRES posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome; RCVS reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome; SAH subarachnoid hemorrhage; TCH thunderclap headache