Table 3 Characteristics of smoking status of episodic cluster headache patients who were current and former smokers

Age of onset of smoking (years)

17.04 ± 3

12 - 38

17.16 ± 3

12 - 38

16.71 ± 2

13 - 22

Length of smoking (years)

29.56 ± 11

2 - 55

30.75 ± 10^a

11 - 49

26.19 ± 13

2 - 55

N. of cigarettes/day smoked at the onset of cluster headache

17.74 ± 8

1 - 60

17.50 ± 9

1 - 60

17.77 ± 6

6 - 30

N. of cigarettes/day smoked at the time of completing the questionnaire

16.98 ± 8

1 - 35

16.98 ± 8

1 - 35

0

0

N

%

N

%

N

%

Patients who start smoking before the onset of cluster headache

150

92.6

111

92.5

39

92.85

Changes in smoking during the active period

Increased

14^b

8.6

12^b

10

2^b

5

Decreased

74

45.7

58

48.3

16

40

Unchanged

74

45.7

50

41.7

24

55