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Headaches in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative study
D A Whitelaw1, F Hugo, J J Spangenberg
1Department of Rheumatology, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Tygerberg, South Africa. dwhit@sun.ac.za
Lupus
|September 9, 2004
Summary
Migrainous headaches are more common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than in healthy individuals. However, in an outpatient setting, these headaches are not statistically linked to SLE disease flares.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Neurology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Headaches are a common symptom reported by patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
- Understanding the specific types and prevalence of headaches in SLE is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and characteristics of headaches in SLE patients.
- To compare headache patterns in SLE patients with those in a healthy control group.
Main Methods:
- A comparative study involving 85 SLE patients and 61 healthy nurses.
- Headache incidence and types were assessed and compared between the two groups.
- Reliability of headache assessment was confirmed using test-retest methods.
Main Results:
- 38% of SLE patients reported migrainous headaches and 10% reported stress headaches.
- In the control group, 6% reported migraine and 66% reported stress headaches.
- No statistically significant association was found between headaches and SLE disease flares, ACA syndrome, Raynaud's phenomenon, or SLEDAI scores.
Conclusions:
- Migrainous headaches are more prevalent in SLE patients compared to healthy controls.
- In an outpatient setting, headaches in SLE patients are not statistically associated with disease flares.