Case-control study on the epidemiology of cluster headache. II: Anthropometric data and personality profile

Several papers have been published on the possible risk factors and conditions associated with CH which may provide clues to its underlying etiopathogenesis, including a typical physical appearance and peculiar psychological characteristics. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of peculiar somatic and psychological features in CH patients by means of a case-control study. One hundred and twenty CH patients and as many gender- and age-matched controls completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and underwent 20 cranial and body measurements. The photographs of 71 male subjects (38 cases and 33 controls) were examined by two experienced neurologists who had to decide which subjects were affected by CH. Both cases and controls showed normal personality profiles, without any significant difference emerging between them. None of the head, facial or body measurements differed between cases and controls, except for midface height. The sensitivity and specificity of the patients' pictures for the diagnosis of CH were found by examiner 1 to be 0.71 and 0.67 respectively, and by examiner 2 to be 0.63 and 0.58 respectively. CH patients do not seem to have a peculiar personality profile. While their physiques do not seem to differ substantially from those of the general population, certain skull and/or skin characteristics could lend some patients a typical face appearance.