Total number of cases reviewed | n=110 |
Age group | |
Adults | 108 (98.18%) |
Paediatrics | 2 (1.82%) |
Age (years) (median ±SE; IQR) | 47±1.7 (37.5–61.5) |
Gender (adults) | |
Male | 41 (38%) |
Female | 67 (62%) |
Age of onset of pain (years) (median ±SE) | 42±1.8 |
The intensity of pain (VRS 1–10) (median ±SE) | 5±0.2 |
Latency from the first attack to diagnosis (months; median ±SE) | 18±12.8 |
Duration of attacks (min) | |
<30 | 17 (53.13%) |
30–120 | 8 (28.13%) |
>120 | 6 (18.75%) |
Diameter of the pain (cm; median ±SE) | 4±0.2 |
Number of attacks per day (median ±SE) | 3±2.1 |
Frequency (days/month; median ±SE) | 9.5±3.6 |
Localisation of pain | |
Unilateral—left | 26 (38.24%) |
Unilateral—right | 35 (51.47%) |
Bilateral | 7 (10.29%) |
Region of brain | |
Frontal | 17 (21.52%) |
Temporal | 8 (10.12%) |
Parietal | 43 (54.43%) |
Occipital | 11 (13.92%) |
Quality of pain | |
Boring | 2 (2.78%) |
Burning | 9 (12.50%) |
Electric | 3 (4.17%) |
Lancinating | 3 (4.17%) |
Oppressive | 3 (4.17%) |
Pressure | 32 (44.44%) |
Pulsating | 2 (2.78%) |
Sharp | 1 (1.39%) |
Stabbing | 12 (16.67%) |
Throbbing | 5 (6.94%) |
Tenderness | |
Yes | 24 (35.29%) |
No | 44 (64.71%) |
Temporary relief | |
Yes | 47 (69.12%) |
No | 21 (30.88%) |
Total resolution | |
Yes | 40 (57.97%) |
No | 29 (42.03%) |
Therapeutic interventions | 66 |
Onabotulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) | 12 (18.46%) |
Triptan | 3 (4.69%) |
Tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)* | 9 (13.6%) |
Lamotrigine | 8 (12.31%) |
Gabapentin | 34 (52.31%) |
Carbamazepine | 11 (16.92%) |
Topiramate | 3 (4.69%) |
Concomitant symptoms | Nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia, allodynia, hyperaesthesia, tearing, itching eye, bilateral trigeminal hyperalgesia, dizziness, blurred vision, hypoaesthesia, paraesthesia, Hyperalgesia |
Exacerbating factors | Cough, head movements, valsalva, cough, sneeze, gym activity, physical activity, poor sleep, cold, combing hair |
Comorbidities | Aneurysm of the temporal artery, aneurysm of occipital artery, occipital neuralgia, coronary artery disease, hypertension, migraine, myasthenia gravis, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic tension headache |
Missing data were not considered for the calculation of the frequency percentages.
*TCA includes amitriptyline and nortriptyline.
BoNT-A, botulinum toxin type A; VRS, verbal rating scale (intensity 1=least severe to 10= most severe).