Prevalence of secondary chronic headaches in a population-based sample of 30-44-year-old persons. The Akershus study of chronic headache.
We studied secondary chronic headaches (> or = 15 days/month for at least 3 months) in a random sample of 30 000 persons aged 30-44 years. They received a mailed questionnaire. Those with self-reported chronic headache within the last month and/or year were invited to an interview and examination by a neurological resident. The criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II) were applied. The questionnaire response rate was 71%, and the participation rate of the interview was 74%. Of the 633 participants, 298 had a secondary chronic headache. The 1-year prevalence of secondary chronic headache was 2.14%, i.e. chronic posttraumatic headache 0.21%, chronic headache attributed to whiplash injury 0.17%, post-craniotomy headache 0.02%, medication-overuse headache (MOH) 1.72%, cervicogenic headache 0.17%, headache attributed to chronic rhinosinusitis 0.33% and miscellaneous headaches 0.04%. The majority of those with ICHD-II-defined secondary chronic headache had MOH, while about one-third had other secondary headaches often in combination with MOH.
Aaseth
K
K
Head and Neck Research Group, Akershus University Hospital, 1474 Nordbyhagen, Norway. kjersti.aaseth@medisin.uio.no
Grande
R B
RB
Kvaerner
K J
KJ
Gulbrandsen
P
P
Lundqvist
C
C
Russell
M B
MB
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D051271:Headache Disorders, Secondary / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009664:Norway; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires