A Study of Clinical Profile of Headache in Epilepsy Patients

ABSTRACT

Background: Headache is the most common symptom encountered in neurology outpatient department (OPD). One-fifth of patients in neurology clinics present with headache. Headache was long been found to be associated with epilepsy, especially migraine both chronic neurologic disorders share possible clinical interrelationships. Studying their association is necessary as identification of clinical subgroups vulnerable to develop to both disorders can be made possible in the future. Aims and Objectives: The objective of the study was to analyze the characteristic features of various types of headaches in epilepsy patients and their causal association. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 epilepsy patients with headache were recruited from the OPD of the neurology department in a tertiary care center and interviewed regarding the characteristic features of headache through a questionnaire. Results: Out of our study population, female outweighs the male (53, 47). Out of all, interictal was more prevalent (57%), followed by post-ictal (48%), pre-ictal (22%), and intra-ictal (0%) among epilepsy patients. Migraine was found to be the most common type of headache in all subgroups of headaches in epilepsy patients (pre-ictal – 77% of migraine, postictal – 81% of migraine, and interictal – 61% of migraine). Associated characters of headaches such as photophobia (42%) and their prevalence are also studied. Conclusions: Stronger association between migraine and headache is validated, and the strongest associated with migraine in postictal headache is highlighted (81%). This can strengthen the theories proposed so far such as the frequent triggering of headache by a seizure. Further research on common etiologic or pathophysiological processes to these associations can lead to a common therapeutic strategy and prevention of morbidity in patients.