HEADACHE ASSOCIATED WITH TRANSIENT ISCHEMIC ATTACKS

Sixty (29%) of 205 consecutive patients with transient ischemic attack s registered in a hospital stroke data base had headache within 72 hou rs of onset. Headache was significantly more common in nonsmokers (odd s ratio = 2.8; 95% confidence interval = 6.7 to 1.2). Headache was inf requent in patients with amaurosis fugax, and was not significantly as sociated with any other particular clinical presentation of transient ischemic attack. Headache was more common in vertebrobasilar (33%) tha n in carotid distribution (24%) episodes, and was not rare in transien t ischemic attacks presenting as lacunar syndromes (29%). Headache was less frequent in patients whose computerized tomograms showed an infa rct appropriate to the symptoms (odds ratio = 0.2; 95% confidence inte rval = 0.02 to 1.4). A diffuse headache was more common in patients wi th lacunar events than in patients with cortical attacks (odds ratio = 3.0; 95% confidence interval = 13 to 0.07). No other association was found between headache location and the presumed involved vascular ter ritory. Headache in patients with transient ischemic attacks is poorly related/explained by the clinical characteristics of the ischemic eve nt.