Clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with primary and secondary headaches in the tertiary-level of a public hospital in Brazil

Abstract text (incl. figure legends and references)

Question: To analyze the clinical characteristics of children (CH) and adolescents (AD) with primary and secondary headaches of tertiary-level headache outpatient clinic. Methods: Retrospective study, based on review of medical records of CH and AD with primary or secondary headaches between the years 2016 and 2021. Study data were obtained between the years 2016 and 2021. Sociodemographic data, medical history, clinical history, and daily routine of the child were obtained. The proportion of primary and secondary headaches in the CH and AD groups was also calculated. For continuous variables and categorical data, the chi-square test was used, considering p<0.05. Results: A total of 386 medical records were included, of which 206 were CH (n=112; 54.8% girls) and 178 AD (n=118; 66.8% girls). Headaches were episodic in CH (57.3%) and chronic in AD (49.7%), [X2(2)=10.001; p=0.007], of mild intensity (CR:64.1%); and strong (AD:48.5%), [X2(3)=25.802; p=0.000] in pressure (CR:64.3%) and pulsatile (AD: 52.8%), [X2(5)=14.595; p=0.012]. The chi-square test of independence showed that there is a significant association between CH and the presence of migraine [X2(5)=12,746; p=0.026], type of cesarean delivery [X2(2)=7.299;p=0.026], the use of common analgesics [X2(6)=36.690; p=0.000], discharge from the clinic after migraine treatment [X2(5)=22.225;p=0.000] and between AD and worsening of pain during physical activity [X2(3)=10.671;p=0.014], or pulsatile [X2(5)=14.595;p=0.012], and worsens during menstruation period [X2(6)=21.108;p=0.002]. Conclusion: In both groups, migraine was more prevalent, and females were the most affected. By associating the CH and AD groups, these clinical patterns are significantly different in several aspects.