Clinical Features of Cluster Headache Patients in Korea.
Cluster headache (CH) is a rare underdiagnosed primary headache disorder with very severe unilateral pain and autonomic symptoms. Clinical characteristics of Korean patients with CH have not yet been reported. We analyzed the clinical features of CH patients from 11 university hospitals in Korea. Among a total of 200 patients with CH, only 1 patient had chronic CH. The average age of CH patients was 38.1 ± 8.9 years (range 19-60 years) and the average age of onset was 30.7 ± 10.3 years (range 10-57 years). The male-to-female ratio was 7:1 (2.9:1 among teen-onset and 11.7:1 among twenties-onset). Pain was very severe at 9.3 ± 1.0 on the visual analogue scale. The average duration of each attack was 100.6 ± 55.6 minutes and a bout of CH lasted 6.5 ± 4.5 weeks. Autonomic symptoms were present in 93.5% and restlessness or agitation was present in 43.5% of patients. Patients suffered 3.0 ± 3.5 (range 1-25) bouts over 7.3 ± 6.7 (range 1-30) years. Diurnal periodicity and season propensity were present in 68.5% and 44.0% of patients, respectively. There were no sex differences in associated symptoms or diurnal and seasonal periodicity. Korean CH patients had a high male-to-female ratio, relatively short bout duration, and low proportion of chronic CH, unlike CH patients in Western countries.
Department of Neurology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Heui Soo
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6847-497X
HS
Moon
Department of Neurology, Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Korea.
Jeong Wook
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5360-2951
JW
Park
Department of Neurology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kwang Soo
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0155-2993
KS
Lee
Department of Neurology, Seoul Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Chin Sang
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0049-558X
CS
Chung
Department of Neurology, Eulji University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Byung Kun
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1053-4682
BK
Kim
Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.
Jae Moon
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5035-9877
JM
Kim
Department of Neurology, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Korea.
Jong Hee
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2656-9222
JH
Sohn
Department of Neurology, Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang, Korea.
Min Kyung
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6221-1346
MK
Chu
Department of Neurology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kyungmi
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7304-0308
K
Oh
Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea. dowonc@naver.com.
Soo Jin
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4053-3763
SJ
Cho
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003027:Cluster Headache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012621:Seasons; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Asia; Cluster Headache; Delayed Diagnosis; Pain; Sex Ratio; Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgia