DISTRIBUTION OF HEADACHE BY DIAGNOSIS AS THE REASON FOR NEUROLOGIC CONSULTATION

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the distribution by d iagnosis of patients consulting for headache in a neurology department METHODS: The clinical records of 3,498 patients who had consulted spe cifically for headache between 1978 to 1993 were retrospectively studi ed. Diagnosis was reclassified according to the criteria of the new cl assification for headaches, with data concerning the age of onset and sex distribution also being collected. RESULTS: The most frequent diag nosis were migraine (1,802 patients; 52%) and tension headache (1,113; 32%), followed in decreasing order by trigeminal neuralgia, post inju ry headache, cluster headache, subarachnoid hemorrhage, analgesic-ergo tamine abuse headache, tumoral headache, cervical disease headache, be nign tension headache, headache due to paranasal sinusal disorders and benign intracranial hypertension, Female predominance was observed in the whole series (68%) as in the groups with migraine, tension headac he, neuralgia, headache by analgesic-ergotamine drugs and benign intra cranial hypertension. Cluster, post Injury, tumor and secondary headac hes (cough, stress and sexual) were found to be more frequent In men, The age of onset was very specific for each kind of headache, The perc entage of symptomatic headaches increased in direct relation to age, b eing 10 fold higher in patients over the age of 65. CONCLUSIONS: The d istribution of headache by diagnosis as a cause of medical consultatio n is very different to the prevalence of different headaches. This dis tribution by diagnosis largely depends on the age of the patient at th e time of headaches onset.