[The epidemiology of headaches in hospitalised psychiatric patients]. / Epidemiología de la cefalea en pacientes psiquiátricos hospitalizados.

AIM: To determine the frequency and characteristics of the headaches suffered by hospitalised psychiatric patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted among the patients admitted to the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe who required consultation in Internal Medicine due to headaches. The International Headache Society classification was used. Demographic data (age and sex), alarm signals (age of onset of headaches after the age of 50 years, thunderclap headache, persistent unilateral location, presence of febrile symptoms, mental changes, new focal symptoms, history of traumatic head injury, Aids or cancer and the presence of meningeal signs) and definitive diagnosis. RESULTS: Altogether 180 (8.7%) patients visited mainly due to headaches, 28 (15.6%) of whom were attended for primary headaches and 152 (84.4%) had secondary type headaches. Chronic tension-type headache was the most common among primary headaches (39.3%); the most frequently diagnosed secondary headaches were those due to systemic disorders, with 119 cases; and a neurological cause was found in 33 patients. Most of the alarm signals appeared in patients with secondary headaches. CONCLUSIONS: Headache is a frequent reason for visiting in the Internal Medicine consultation at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe; the prevalence of secondary headaches due to neurological causes is high.

Epidemiología de la cefalea en pacientes psiquiátricos hospitalizados / The epidemiology of headaches in hospitalised psychiatric patients

Objetivo. Determinar la frecuencia y las características de las cefaleas en pacientes psiquiátricos hospitalizados. Pacientes y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo entre los pacientes ingresados en el Hospital Psiquiátrico Nacional de Zimbabwe que requirieron interconsulta de Medicina Interna debido a cefalea. Se empleó la clasificaciónde la Sociedad Internacional de Cefaleas. Se analizaron datos demográficos (edad y sexo), señales de alarma (edad de inicio de la cefalea después de los 50 años, cefalea en trueno, localización unilateral persistente, presencia de fiebre, cambios mentales, síntomas focales nuevos, antecedente de traumatismo craneal, sida o cáncer y presencia de signos meníngeos) y diagnóstico definitivo. Resultados. Se atendieron 180 (8,7%) pacientes cuyo motivo principal de la consulta fue la cefalea, 28 (15,6%) con cefaleas primarias y 152 (84,4%) con cefaleas de tipo secundario. Entre las cefaleas primarias predominó la cefalea tipo tensión crónica (39,3%); las cefaleas secundarias más diagnosticadas fueron las debidas a trastornos sistémicos, con 119 casos; en 33 pacientes se encontró una causa neurológica. La mayoría de las señales de alarma se presentaron en pacientes con cefalea secundaria. Conclusiones. La cefalea es un motivo de consulta frecuente en la interconsulta de Medicina Interna del Hospital Psiquiátrico Nacional de Zimbabwe; la prevalencia de cefaleas secundarias de causa neurológica es elevada

Aim. To determine the frequency and characteristics of the headaches suffered by hospitalised psychiatric patients. Patients and methods. A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted among the patients admitted to the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe who required consultation in Internal Medicine due to headaches. The International Headache Society classification was used. Demographic data (age and sex), alarm signals (age of onset of headaches after the age of 50 years, thunderclap headache, persistent unilateral location, presence of febrile symptoms, mental changes, new focal symptoms, history of traumatic head injury, Aids or cancer and the presence of meningeal signs) and definitive diagnosis. Results. Altogether 180 (8.7%) patients visited mainly due to headaches, 28 (15.6%) of whom were attended for primary headaches and 152 (84.4%) had secondary type headaches. Chronic tension-type headache was the most common among primary headaches (39.3%); the most frequently diagnosed secondary headaches were those due to systemic disorders, with 119 cases; and a neurological cause was found in 33 patients. Most of the alarm signals appeared in patients with secondary headaches. Conclusions. Headache is a frequent reason for visiting in the Internal Medicine consultation at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe; the prevalence of secondary headaches due to neurological causes is high

Prevalencia de cefaleas primarias en la población laboral de un hospital psiquiátrico de Zimbabwe / The prevalence of primary headaches in the working population at a psychiatric hospital in zimbabwe

Objetivo. Determinar la prevalencia y las característicasclínicoepidemiológicas y terapéuticas de las cefaleas primariasen Zimbabwe. Sujetos y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo,en la población laboral del Hospital Psiquiátrico Nacional de Zimbabwe.Se empleó la clasificación de la Sociedad Internacional deCefaleas. El tamaño de la muestra, que se calculó mediante el programaEpiInfo 2002, fue de 175 trabajadores, los cuales se seleccionaronpor muestreo aleatorio simple. Resultados. La prevalenciade cefaleas primarias fue de 37,1%. El 66,1% tenía entre 20 y39 años. El 29,2% tenía antecedente familiar de cefaleas. Predominaronla cefalea tensional (47,7%) y la migraña común (30,8%). El46,12% de los afectados comenzó a quejarse de cefalea antes delos 15 años. La localización más frecuente fue cervical, en el 40%.Los factores precipitantes más frecuentes fueron la menstruación(24,6%) y el estrés (21,5%). El síntoma acompañante que predominófue el lagrimeo (27,7%). El 40% sufría la cefalea tres o másveces al mes. Como tratamiento sintomático predominó el paracetamol(83,1%) y los antiinflamatorios no esteroideos (52,3%). El18,5% usó betabloqueadores y el 13,8% amitriptilina como profilácticosde las crisis de cefalea. Conclusiones. La prevalencia de cefaleasprimarias es elevada en la población laboral objeto de estudio

Aim. To determine the rate of prevalence and the clinical-epidemiological and therapeutic characteristics of primaryheadaches in Zimbabwe. Subjects and methods. A descriptive study was carried out on the working population at the NationalPsychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe. The International Headache Society classification was used. Sample size, which was calculatedby means of the program EpiInfo 2002, was 175 workers, who were selected by simple random sampling. Results. The rateof prevalence of primary headaches was 37.1%. 66.1% of cases were between 20 and 39 years old. 29.2% had a family historyof headaches. Tension-type headaches (47.7%) and common migraine (30.8%) were the predominant types. Onset of headachesoccurred before the age of 15 years in 46.12% of patients. The most frequent location was cervical, which was found in 40% ofcases. The most frequent precipitating factors were menstruation (24.6%) and stress (21.5%). The most frequent accompanyingsymptom was tearing (27.7%). 40% suffered headaches three or more times a month. The predominant symptomatic treatmentwas paracetamol (83.1%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (52.3%). Beta blockers and amitriptyline were used asprophylactic therapy for the episodes of headache in 18.5% and 13.8% of cases, respectively. Conclusions. The prevalence ofprimary headaches is high among the working population under study

[The prevalence of primary headaches in the working population at a psychiatric hospital in Zimbabwe]. / Prevalencia de cefaleas primarias en la poblacion laboral de un hospital psiquiatrico de Zimbabwe.

AIM: To determine the rate of prevalence and the clinical-epidemiological and therapeutic characteristics of primary headaches in Zimbabwe. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out on the working population at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe. The International Headache Society classification was used. Sample size, which was calculated by means of the program EpiInfo 2002, was 175 workers, who were selected by simple random sampling. RESULTS: The rate of prevalence of primary headaches was 37.1%. 66.1% of cases were between 20 and 39 years old. 29.2% had a family history of headaches. Tension-type headaches (47.7%) and common migraine (30.8%) were the predominant types. Onset of headaches occurred before the age of 15 years in 46.12% of patients. The most frequent location was cervical, which was found in 40% of cases. The most frequent precipitating factors were menstruation (24.6%) and stress (21.5%). The most frequent accompanying symptom was tearing (27.7%). 40% suffered headaches three or more times a month. The predominant symptomatic treatment was paracetamol (83.1%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (52.3%). Beta blockers and amitriptyline were used as prophylactic therapy for the episodes of headache in 18.5% and 13.8% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of primary headaches is high among the working population under study.