title: Psychiatric comorbidity in pediatric chronic daily headache.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study were to assess comorbid psychiatric diagnoses in youth with chronic daily headache (CDH) and to examine relationships between psychiatric status and CDH symptom severity, as well as headache-related disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized psychiatric interviews (Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, KSADS) were conducted with 169 youth ages 10-17 diagnosed with CDH. Participants provided prospective reports of headache frequency with a daily headache diary and completed measures of symptom severity, headache-related disability (PedMIDAS) and quality of life (PedsQL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that 29.6% of CDH patients met criteria for at least one current psychiatric diagnosis, and 34.9% met criteria for at least one lifetime psychiatric diagnosis. No significant relationship between psychiatric status and headache frequency, duration, or severity was found. However, children with at least one lifetime psychiatric diagnosis had greater functional disability and poorer quality of life than those without a psychiatric diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contrary to research in adults with chronic headaches, most youth with CDH did not appear to be at an elevated risk for comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. However, patients with a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis were found to have higher levels of headache-related disability and poorer quality of life. Implications for treatment are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA. Shalonda.Slater@cchmc.org
authors.forename: Shalonda K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: Susmita M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kashikar-Zuck
authors.forename: Janelle R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: LeCates
authors.forename: Marielle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kabbouche
authors.forename: Hope L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Hershey
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Powers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009820:Ohio / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors