From: Clinical patterns of primary stabbing headache: a single clinic-based prospective study
Acute/subacute (n = 41) | Chronic (n = 24) | p | |
---|---|---|---|
Age (y) | 54 (48–61) | 55 (44–62) | 0.822 |
Female sex | 24 (58.5%) | 21 (87.5%) | 0.015 |
Severity (Numeric Rating Scale) | 8 (7 – 9) | 7 (5 – 8) | 0.012 |
Duration (s) | 1 (1 – 3) | 1 (1 – 3) | 0.348 |
Affected territory (not exclusive) | |||
Occipital | 37 (90.2%) | 18 (75.0%) | 0.154 |
V1 | 4 (9.8%) | 4 (16.7%) | 0.454 |
Multiple | 7 (17.1%) | 9 (37.5%) | 0.065 |
Side | 0.044 | ||
Side-locked | 32 (78.0%) | 13 (54.2%) | |
Bilateral or alternating | 9 (22.0%) | 11 (45.8%) | |
Migrating location | 7 (17.1%) | 8 (33.3%) | 0.133 |
Stab frequency per day | 0.019* | ||
1 (sporadic stab) | 4 (9.8%) | 6 (25.0%) | |
2 – 10 | 15 (36.6%) | 11 (45.8%) | |
10 – 30 | 6 (14.6%) | 4 (16.7%) | |
30 – 100 | 9 (22.0%) | 2 (8.3%) | |
> 100 | 7 (17.1%) | 1 (4.2%) | |
Pattern of occurrence (either single or series of stabs) | <0.001* | ||
Daily | 39 (95.1%) | 8 (33.3%) | |
A few per month | 2 (4.9%) | 7 (29.2%) | |
A few per year | 0 (0.0%) | 9 (37.5%) | |
Disease duration prior to visit (d) | 10 (7 – 30) | 1,095 (195 – 2,920) | 0.000 |
Follow-up (d) | 34 (14 – 64) | 49 (29 – 98) | 0.086 |
Total disease duration (d) | 15 (6 – 30) | 987 (274 – 2,291) | 0.000 |
Complete remission | 33 (80.5%) | 4 (16.7%) | <0.001 |
Mode of remission | 0.109 | ||
Spontaneous | 17 (51.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | |
By treatment | 16 (48.5%) | 4 (100.0%) | |
Treatment responsea | |||
Indomethacin | 1/3 (33.3%) | 4/5 (80.0%) | 0.464 |
Prednisolone | 6/7 (85.7%) | 0/4 (0.0%) | 0.015 |
Gabapentin | 6/9 (66.7%) | 1/4 (25.0%) | 0.266 |
Tricyclic antidepressants | 1/3 (33.3%) | 0/3 (0.0%) | >0.999 |