Table 1 Demographics and characteristics of patients with cluster headache, according to pre-attack and pre-episode symptoms

Age

33.0 (28.0–39.0)

31.0 (27.0–38.0)

33.0 (28.0–39.0)

0.210

32.0 (28.0–38.0)

34.0 (28.0–39.0)

0.141

Gender

0.734

0.091

  Male

269 (82.3%)

47 (81.0%)

222 (82.5%)

218 (84.2%)

51 (75.0%)

  Female

58 (17.7%)

11 (19.0%)

47 (17.5%)

41 (15.8%)

17 (25.0%)

Smoking history

144 (44.0%)

18 (31.0%)

126 (46.8%)

0.037*

110 (42.5%)

34 (50.0%)

0.324

Drinking history

109 (33.3%)

13 (22.4%)

96 (35.7%)

0.064

85 (32.8%)

24 (35.3%)

0.774

Diagnosis

0.722

0.915

  eCH

318 (97.2%)

56 (96.6%)

262 (97.4%)

252 (97.3%)

66 (97.1%)

  cCH

9 (2.8%)

2 (3.4%)

7 (2.6%)

7 (2.7%)

2 (2.9%)

Duration (years)

10.0 (5.0–15.0)

8.0 (2.8–15.0)

10.0 (5.0–15.0)

0.328

10.0 (5.0–15.0)

10.0 (7.0–15.0)

0.026*

Family history of CH

19 (5.8%)

2 (3.4%)

17 (6.3%)

0.414

15 (5.8%)

4 (5.9%)

0.996

Coexisting other types

47 (14.4%)

6 (10.3%)

41 (15.2%)

0.185

35 (13.5%)

12 (17.6%)

0.234

Number of headache locations

3.0 (2.0–4.0)

2.0 (1.0–3.0)

3.0 (2.0–4.0)

0.009*

3.0 (2.0–4.0)

3.0 (2.0–4.0)

0.362

VAS

9.0 (8.0–10.0)

8.5 (7.5–10.0)

9.0 (8.0–10.0)

0.025*

9.0 (8.0–10.0)

9.5 (8.5–10.0)

0.046*

Duration of episode

0.089

0.364

Less than 2 weeks

34 (10.4%)

12 (20.7%)

22 (8.2%)

30 (11.6%)

4 (5.9%)

From 2 weeks to less than 1 month

77 (23.5%)

14 (24.1%)

63 (23.4%)

57 (22.0%)

20 (29.4%)

From 1 to 2 months

164 (50.2%)

24 (41.4%)

140 (52.1%)

127 (49.0%)

37 (54.4%)

More than 2 months

43 (13.1%)

5 (8.6%)

38 (14.1%)

37 (14.3%)

6 (8.8%)

First experience of cluster

9 (2.8%)

3 (5.2%)

6 (2.2%)

8 (3.1%)

1 (1.5%)

Frequency of episode

0.996

0.092

Less than 1 time/year

136 (41.6%)

24 (41.4%)

112 (41.6%)

108 (41.7%)

28 (41.2%)

1 time/year

121 (37.0%)

22 (37.9%)

99 (36.8%)

101 (39.0%)

20 (29.4%)

More than 1 time/year

70 (21.4%)

12 (20.7%)

58 (21.6%)

50 (19.3%)

20 (29.4%)