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Primary headache epidemiology in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Agnese Onofri1, Umberto Pensato2,3, Chiara Rosignoli1

  • 1Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences (DISCAB), University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.

The Journal of Headache and Pain
|February 14, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric headaches are highly prevalent, affecting 62% of children and adolescents. This study highlights the significant burden of primary headaches in youth, emphasizing the need for more research and interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Headaches are a leading cause of disability globally in adults and significantly impact children and adolescents, yet high-quality evidence on pediatric headache prevalence is limited.
  • Understanding the epidemiology of headaches in children and adolescents is crucial for addressing their physical and psychological well-being.

Approach:

  • A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, searching major databases (Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane) for cross-sectional and cohort studies published between January 1988 and June 2022.
  • The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scale was used to assess the risk of bias, and a random-effects model estimated the pooled prevalence of pediatric headaches, including subgroup analyses for different headache types.
  • Studies included children and adolescents aged 8-18 years, focusing on the prevalence of primary headaches like migraine and tension-type headache.

Key Points:

  • The pooled prevalence of overall primary headaches in children and adolescents was 62% (95% CI: 53-70%).
  • Specific primary headache prevalence included migraine (11%), migraine without aura (8%), migraine with aura (3%), and tension-type headache (17%).
  • Prevalence rates remained consistent even after excluding low-quality studies, and data on less common headaches like trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias were scarce.

Conclusions:

  • A remarkably high prevalence of primary headaches exists in children and adolescents, though significant heterogeneity was noted.
  • Further up-to-date research is essential to fully understand the pediatric headache burden and inform targeted public health interventions.
Abstract

Keywords:
Child and adolescent headacheHeadache epidemiologyMeta-analysisMigrainePrevalenceSystematic reviewTension-type headache

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