Table 1 Differences between headache preceded by infection and headache with no prior history of recent infection

Age (years) (mean, range)

32.5 ± 12.6, 17–55

34.8 ± 14.5

Sex (F:M)

12:11

6:05

Duration of headache (weeks)

 1–2

10 (44%)

4 (36%)

 2–3

7 (30%)

4 (36%)

 3–4

6 (26%)

3 (27%)

Location of pain

 Holocephalic

10 (44%)

5 (46%)

 Parieto occipital

8 (35%)

3 (27%)

 Fronto temporal

5 (22%)

3 (27%)

 With neck pain

14 (61%)

4 (36%)

Quality of pain

 Pressing

17 (74%)

8 (73%)

 Throbbing

6 (26%)

3 (27%)

Variability of headache

 Intermittent daily pain

5 (22%)

4 (36%)

 Constant with no or little fluctuations

14 (61%)

6 (55%)

 Constant with frequent exacerbations

4 (17%)

1 (9%)

Severity

 Mild to moderate

21 (91%)

9 (82%)

 Severe

2 (9%)

2 (18%)

Associated symptoms and signs

 Nausea

7 (30%)

2 (18%)

 Photophobia

7 (30%)

2 (18%)

 Phonophobia

2 (9%)

1 (9%)

 Cranial autonomic feature

1 (4%)

0

 Meningeal sign

9 (39%)

3 (27%)

 Body pain

5 (22%)

2 (18%)

Neuroimaging

 Normal

13/13

4/4

CSF examinations

 Pleocytosis

3/9

0/3

Provisional diagnosis (at the time of presentation)

 Probable migraine

8

4

 Probable CTTH

11

6

 Probable NDPH

4

1

Treatment

 Dothiepin

12

6

 Amitriptyline

4

5

 Valproate

7

4

 Propranolol

4

0

 Leviteracetam

3

0

 Paracetamol

8

5

 Naproxen

15

6

 Indomethacin

5

1

 Steroids

10

2

Follow-up and treatment response

 At 3 months

  Complete response

8 (35%)

6 (55%)

  Marked response with episodic headaches (1–5 attacks/week)

10 (43%)

4 (36%)

  No or minimal response

5 (22%)

1 (9%)

 Response to steroids (at 3 months)

(10 patients)

(2 patients)

  Marked and immediate

4/10 (40%)

0/2

  Moderate response

3/10 (30%)

1/2

  Mild to no response

3/10 (30%)

1/2

 Response to steroids (IV MPS) (at 9 months)

(7 patients)

(2 patients)

  Marked and immediate

3/7 (42%)

0/2

  Moderate response

2/7 (29%)

1/2

  Mild to no response

2/7 (29%)

1/2