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Mixed migraine and tension-type: a common cause of recurrent headache in children

Shashi S Seshia1

  • 1Manitoba Clinic, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.

The Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences. Le Journal Canadien Des Sciences Neurologiques
|September 21, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Recurrent headaches in children and adolescents are common, with migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) frequently co-existing. This overlap may impact treatment effectiveness for pediatric headache disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Headache Medicine
  • Clinical Epidemiology

Background:

  • Recurrent headaches are a common reason for pediatric neurology referrals.
  • Understanding the prevalence of different headache types in this population is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the relative frequency of various recurrent headache types in children and adolescents referred to a pediatric neurologist.
  • To investigate the co-occurrence of migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) in this cohort.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective, observational study conducted in a Canadian pediatric neurology clinic.
  • Data collected from 463 referred patients between September 1998 and December 2001.
  • Follow-up duration ranged from one month to four years.

Main Results:

  • 69% of referred patients (320/463) had recurrent headaches.
  • Migraine was the primary type in 38%, TTH in 18%, and mixed migraine/TTH in 32%.
  • 45% of patients with migraine also experienced TTH.

Conclusions:

  • Tension-type headache and migraine frequently co-exist in children and adolescents.
  • This co-occurrence may represent a distinct headache pattern in pediatric populations.
  • The association between migraine and TTH likely influences treatment responses in clinical practice and trials.
Abstract

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