Clinical Features of Cluster Headache: An Outpatient Clinic Study from China. Issue 6 (30th April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xie, Qianyun; Huang, Qingqing; Wang, Jing; Li, Nan; Tan, Ge; Zhou, Jiying
• Is Part Of: Pain medicine. Volume 14:Issue 6(2013)
• Page Start: 802
• Page End: 807
• Publication Date: 2013-04-30
• Subjects: Pain -- Periodicals; Pain -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Analgesics -- Periodicals; Pain -- Periodicals; Pain Management -- Periodicals; Douleur -- Périodiques; Douleur -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Analgésiques -- Périodiques; Analgésique; Soulagement de la douleur; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.047205
• DOI: 10.1111/pme.12101
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1526-2375

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="pme12101-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective.</title> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics of cluster headache (CH) in a neurology outpatient population in China.</p> </sec> <sec id="pme12101-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods.</title> <p>A cross‐sectional survey was conducted from June to December 2011 in a tertiary care, university‐affiliated hospital. All consecutive patients citing headache as their chief complaint were asked to participate in a face‐to‐face interview with a qualified headache specialist and to complete a detailed self‐administered questionnaire. The diagnosis of CH was made according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, Second Edition (ICHD‐II).</p> </sec> <sec id="pme12101-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results.</title> <p>Of the 1, 526 headache patients screened, 26 were diagnosed with CH (6 women, 20 men). Mean age at onset was 27 ± 8 years (range, 17–47), and 50% of patients were 20–30 years of age. Of the 26 CH patients, 61.5% reported that pain was usually centered at the right temporal region, and 69.2% characterized the pain as swelling. Attacks lasted 87 minutes on average and were associated with cranial autonomic symptoms (100%). A seasonal predilection was reported by 69.2% of CH patients. No patient reported significant changes in pain severity after physical activity. Tobacco use was common (14/26 patients), and alcohol was the most frequently cited trigger.</p> </sec> <sec id="pme12101-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions.</title> <p>This study details the clinical features of CH in a neurology outpatient population in China. Compared with Western studies, our patients were different in several aspects including the absence of chronic CH.</p> </sec> </abstract>