A 3-year follow-up of headache diagnoses and symptoms in Swedish schoolchildren.
Information is sparse concerning the incidence and prognosis of headache in children from the general population, especially of tension-type headache. In this study, headache diagnoses and symptoms were reassessed in 122 out of 130 schoolchildren after 3 years. Nearly 80% of those with headache at first evaluation still reported headache at follow-up. Although the likelihood of experiencing the same headache diagnosis and symptoms was high, about one-fifth of children with tension-type headache developed migraine and vice versa. Female gender predicted migraine and frequent headache episodes predicted overall headache at follow-up. The estimated average annual incidence was 81 and 65 per 1000 children, for tension-type headache and migraine, respectively. We conclude that there is a considerable risk of developing and maintaining headache during childhood. Headache diagnoses should be reassessed regularly and treatment adjusted. Girls and children with frequent headache have a poorer prognosis and therefore intervention is particularly important in these groups.
Laurell
K
K
Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. katarina.laurell@akademiska.se
Larsson
B
B
Mattsson
P
P
Eeg-Olofsson
O
O
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D018781:Tension-Type Headache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*