Table 4.
Headache Characteristics of the Study Population
| Variable | Persistent PTH (n = 100) | Chronic Migraine-Like (n = 61) | Episodic Migraine-Like combined with TTH-like (n = 29) | Chronic TTH-like (n = 9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headache Frequency, mean (SD) | ||||
| Yearly headache days | 307.9 (86.9) | 299.3 (88.3) | 318.5 (83.0) | 358.1 (12.8) |
| Monthly headache days | 25.4 (7.1) | 24.6 (7.5) | 26.2 (6.8) | 29.7 (0.7) |
| Headache Intensitya, % | ||||
| Mild | 5 | 0 | 0 | 56 |
| Moderate | 80 | 82 | 86 | 44 |
| Severe | 15 | 18 | 14 | 0 |
| Headache Localization, % | ||||
| Bilateral | 64 | 69 | 62 | 56 |
| Unilateral | 36 | 31 | 38 | 44 |
| Left sided | 18 | 16 | 17 | 22 |
| Right sided | 17 | 15 | 21 | 22 |
| Frontal | 70 | 70 | 72 | 67 |
| Temporal | 50 | 51 | 41 | 67 |
| Parietal | 35 | 39 | 21 | 44 |
| Occipital | 35 | 41 | 24 | 33 |
| Headache Quality, % | ||||
| Throbbing | 18 | 23 | 14 | 0 |
| Pressing | 32 | 21 | 31 | 100 |
| Stabbing | 3 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Combined (throbbing and pressing) | 45 | 51 | 48 | 0 |
| Other headache quality | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Family History of Primary Headache Disordersb, % | 28 | 31 | 21 | 22 |
| Continuous Photophobiac, % | 46 | 69 | 45 | 44 |
| Continuous Phonophobiad, % | 60 | 61 | 28 | 0 |
| Neck Pain, % | 78 | 82 | 79 | 44 |
| > 180 days with neck pain within the past 12 months, % | 55 | 78 | 52 | 33 |
| Low Back Pain, % | 37 | 38 | 45 | 11 |
| > 180 days with neck pain within the past 12 months, % | 24 | 26 | 23 | 0 |
| Allodyniae | ||||
| None, % | 54 | 44 | 66 | 78 |
| Mild Allodynia, % | 23 | 25 | 21 | 22 |
| Moderate Allodynia, % | 17 | 23 | 10 | 0 |
| Severe Allodynia, % | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
amild headache intensity = does not impair ability to work and/or other activities. Moderate headache intensity = impairs but does not prevent ability to work and/or other activities. Severe headache intensity = prevents ability to work and/or other activities
bpositive family history of primary headache disorders = 1st degree relative with any primary headache disorder other than infrequent tension-type headache
ccontinuous photophobia = continuously ongoing – daily – symptoms of photophobia
dcontinuous phonophobia = continuously ongoing – daily – symptoms of phonophobia
ecutaneous allodynia scores were assessed using the 12-item Allodynia Symptom Checklist (ASC-12) and defined as follows: none (scores 0–2), mild [3–5], moderate [6–8], and severe (≥9)