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Table 2 Main relevant studies on the prevalence of primary headaches in SLE patients

From: Headache and immunological/autoimmune disorders: a comprehensive review of available epidemiological evidence with insights on potential underlying mechanisms

Authors and year of publication

Study design

SLE pts

Number (F%)

Mean age (years)

Case source

Controls

Number (F %)

Mean age (years)

Control source

SLE diagnostic criteria

Headache diagnostic criteria

Pts

Headache (H) prevalence

Migraine (M) prevalence

Controls

Headache (H) prevalence

Migraine (M) prevalence

Pts

Other headaches prevalence

Controls

Other headaches prevalence

Markus 1992 [155]

Prospective study

N = 90 (F: 95%)

Mean age: 42.3 years

Community in Nottingam District

N=90 (F 95%)

Mean age: 42.6 years

Patients’ relatives and medical staff

NA

*Blau definition

M: 34%

M: 17%

  

Sfikakis et al. 1998 [162]

Case-control

N = 71 (F: 91.5%)

Mean age: 37 years

Hospital

N = 89

Age-and sex-matched

Representative sample of the Greek population

ACR

Questions**

H: 32%

M: 8%

H: 30%

M: NA

TTH: 24%

TTH: 1.4%

Fernandez Nebro et al. 1999 [160]

Case-control

N = 71 (F: 91.5%)

Mean age 36.6 years

Hospital

N = 71

Age and sex-matched

Healthy subjects accompanying non-lupus patients or other outpatients

ACR

ICHD 1988

M: 22.5%

MA: 4.2%, MwA18: .3%

M: 18.3%

MA 1.4%, MwA: 16.9%

TTH: 23.9%

TTH: 23.9%

Whithelaw D. 2004 [164]

Case-control

N= 85 (F: 95%)

Mean age: 28.7

Hospital

N = 62 (F: 93%)

Mean age:23.1 yrs

Nurses

ACR criteria

ICHD 1988

M prior SLE: 11%

M with onset of SLE 38%

M prior to nursing : 7%

M with onset of nursing: 10%

Prior SLE

Stress H: 15%

Sinus H: 1%

Other Hs: 1%

With onset of SLE

Stress H: 11%

Sinus H: 0%

Other Hs: 13%

Prior to nursing

Stress H: 38%

Sinus H: 0%

Other Hs: 8%

With onset of nursing

Stress H: 66%

Sinus H: 6%

Other H: 13%

Lessa et al., 2006 [165]

Case-control

N=138 ( F: 98.3%)

Mean age: 36 years

Hospital

N= 92 (F: 83.7%

Mean age: 46 years

Hospital

Pts with diffuse connective tissue diseases other than SLE

ACR

ICHD 1988

H: 75.7%

M: 66.1%

H: 66%

M: 52.2%

TTH: 13.9%

TTH: 16.3%

Katsiari et al., 2011 [166]

Case controls

N = 72 (F: 96.5%)

Mean age 38.3 years

Naval hospital

SLE

N = 72 (F: 96.2%)

Mean age 37.8 years

MS

N = 48 (F: 96.5%)

Mean age 35.9 years

Hospital

ACR

ICHD

2004

SLE

M: 21%

MS

M: 23%

M: 22%

SLE pts

Frequent TTH: 15%

Chronic TTH: 15%

MS pts

Frequent TTH: 19%

Chronic TTH: 8%

Frequent TTH: 16%

Chronic TTH: 1%

  1. Studies included in this table were selected based on sample size (>50 patients) and the presence of a control group
  2. *Blau Jn (1984) Towards a definition of migraine headache Lancet I: 444-445
  3. **All patients and controls were first screened on the basis of the question: ‘Have you suffered from severe headache during the last year?’, and if the answer was positive for at least one episode of headache every 2 weeks, she or he was considered a headache sufferer.
  4. Abbreviations: ACR American College Rheumathology, ICHD International Classification of Headache Disorders, M migraine, MA migraine with aura, MwA migraine without aura, MS multiple sclerosis, SLE systemic lupus erythematosus, NA not available, TTH tension-type headache