Table 1 Baseline characteristicsa
Baseline characteristics | All patients (n = 391) | Benign headache (n = 316) | Serious secondary headache (n = 75) |
|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 41 (30 – 57) | 39 (28 – 54) | 56 (40 – 66) |
Male sex | 146 (37.3%) | 107 (33.9%) | 39 (52.0%) |
Comorbidities | |||
Hypertension | 51 (13.0%) | 36 (11.4%) | 15 (20.0%) |
Coronary heart disease | 17 (4.3%) | 8 (2.5%) | 9 (12.0%) |
Atrial fibrillation | 2 (0.5%) | 1 (0.3%) | 1 (1.3%) |
Cerebrovascular ischemic disease | 2 (0.5%) | 0 | 2 (2.7%) |
Chronic obstructive lung disease | 1 (0.3%) | 1 (0.3%) | 0 |
Multiple sclerosis | 2 (0.5%) | 2 (0.6%) | 0 |
Chronic pain syndrome | 7 (1.8%) | 6 (1.9%) | 1 (1.3%) |
Depression | 17 (4.3%) | 16 (5.1%) | 1 (1.3%) |
Epilepsy | 9 (2.3%) | 3 (0.9%) | 6 (8.0%) |
Associated headache symptoms | |||
Nausea | 214 (54.7%) | 178 (56.3%) | 36 (48.0%) |
Vomiting | 106 (27.1%) | 83 (26.3%) | 23 (30.7%) |
Visual aura | 124 (31.7%) | 107 (33.9%) | 17 (22.7%) |
Photophobia | 190 (48.6%) | 160 (50.6%) | 30 (40.0%) |
Thunderclap onset headache | 67 (17.1%) | 39 (12.3%) | 28 (37.3%) |
Nuchal rigidity | 10 (2.6%) | 6 (1.9%) | 4 (5.3%) |
Scenariob | |||
1: Worst headache ever | 67 (17.1%) | 39 (12.3%) | 28 (37.3%) |
2: fever/neck stiffness | 26 (6.6%) | 21 (6.6%) | 5 (6.7%) |
3: recent worsening | 169 (43.2%) | 141 (44.6%) | 28 (37.3%) |
4: history of previous similar headache | 112 (28.6%) | 99 (31.3%) | 13 (17.3%) |
5: none of the above | 17 (4.3%) | 16 (5.1%) | 1 (1.3%) |
Clinical findings | |||
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 134 (121 – 148) | 131 (120 – 145) | 139 (125 – 159) |
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) | 80 (71–88) | 80 (70 – 87) | 78 (73 – 89) |
Temperature (°C) | 37 (36.7–37.4) | 37.0 (36.7–37.4) | 37.1 (36.7–37.4) |
Headache duration (days) | 3 (0.5–7) | 2 (1 – 7) | 3 (1 – 6) |
Visual Analogue Scale (0–10) for pain at ED | 8 (6 – 9) | 8 (6 – 9) | 8 (5 – 10) |
Focal-neurological finding | 74 (18.9%) | 46 (14.6%) | 28 (37.3%) |
Immediate hospitalization | 61 (15.6%) | 39 (12.3%) | 22 (29.3%) |