Headache deteriorates the quality of life in children with chronic spontaneous urticaria

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Dermatology
• Quality of Life Research
• Comorbidity Studies

Background:

• Quality of life in chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients is often reduced by comorbid mental health conditions.
• Headaches are a potential comorbidity that may negatively impact the quality of life in pediatric CSU patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of headaches on urticaria symptoms, disease activity, and overall quality of life in children diagnosed with CSU.
• To understand the relationship between headache presence and key quality of life metrics in pediatric CSU.

Main Methods:

• Eighty-three pediatric CSU patients were categorized into groups with and without headaches.
• Standardized assessments included the Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7), Urticaria Control Test (UCT), and Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Questionnaire (CU-Q2QoL).
• Headache characteristics were assessed using the ICHD-II criteria, with pain measured by VAS and NRS; PedMIDAS was used for diagnosed migraines.

Main Results:

• Children with CSU and headaches reported significantly higher overall quality of life impairment scores (CU-QoL) compared to those without headaches (p=0.015).
• Specific domains of daily life impact and sleep disturbances showed significantly higher scores in the headache group (p=0.008, p=0.028).
• No significant correlations were found between headache severity and UCT, UAS, or CU-QoL scores, nor were there differences in urticaria duration or UAS7/UCT between groups.

Conclusions:

• Headaches represent a significant factor contributing to impaired quality of life in children suffering from chronic urticaria.
• Addressing headaches may be crucial for improving the overall well-being of pediatric CSU patients.