Variables associated with sleep quality in chronic tension-type headache: A cross-sectional and longitudinal design

Temporal trends of migraine and tension-type headache burden across the BRICS: implications from the Global Burden of Disease study 2019

Background

Headache disorders have become a significant global public health issue, with a notably high prevalence observed in developing countries. However, few studies have assessed headache disorders trends in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of headache disorders in individuals across the BRICS, spanning the years 1990 to 2019.

Methods

We obtained headache disorders data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study (GBD2019). This evaluation examined incidence rates, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) across demographic factors like age, gender, year, and country. Migraine and TTH were diagnosed based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) criteria. We used disease codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision to identify migraine and TTH cases. Statistical analyzes included calculating age-standardized rates and estimated annual percentage changes. Future disease burden was projected using a log-linear age-period-cohort model.

Results

In 2019, India had the highest prevalence of migraine (213890207.93 cases) and TTH (374,453,700 cases). Brazil had the highest migraine age-standardized prevalence rate (18,331 per 100,000) and incidence rate (1,489 per 100,000). For TTH, India had the highest prevalence (26,160 per 100,000) while Russia had the highest incidence (11,512 per 100,000). From 1990 to 2019, China showed the greatest increase in migraine and TTH prevalence. India had the highest migraine (7,687,692) and TTH (741,392) DALYs in 2019.

Conclusion

Migraine and TTH remain highly prevalent in BRICS nations, inflicting considerable disability burden. While India and China face mounting disease prevalence, Brazil contends with high incidence rates. Tailored interventions based on country-specific epidemiological profiles are warranted to mitigate the public health impact.

Clinical and Psychological Variables in Female Patients with Cervical Syndromes: A Cross-Sectional and Correlational Study

Background: The objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the pain intensity, cervical range of motion (ROM), psychological distress and kinesiophobia in patients with cervicogenic dizziness (CGD), tension-type headache (TTH), and mechanical chronic neck pain (MCNP); and (2) to investigate the relationships between pain intensity and cervical ROM and between psychological distress and kinesiophobia. Methods: a cross-sectional and correlational study was designed. In total, 109 patients (32 patients with CGD, 33 with TTH and 44 with MCNP) were included. Pain intensity, cervical ROM, psychological distress and kinesiophobia were assessed. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the groups in pain intensity, psychological distress and kinesiophobia. The patients with MCNP showed higher pain intensity compared to the other groups (p < 0.001). The patients with CGD showed higher depression and kinesiophobia values compared to the MCNP and TTH groups (p < 0.05). No differences were found for cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion, or rotation ROM (p > 0.05). The CGD and MCNP groups found a moderate positive correlation between psychological distress and kinesiophobia (p < 0.05). The patients with TTH and MCNP showed a moderate positive correlation between pain intensity, psychological distress and kinesiophobia (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Pain intensity, psychological distress and kinesiophobia should be considered in the three groups. Psychological distress was correlated with kinesiophobia in the CGD and MCNP groups. The MCNP group showed a correlation between pain intensity, psychological distress and kinesiophobia.

Headache Because of Problems with Teeth, Mouth, Jaws, or Dentures in Chronic Temporomandibular Disorder Patients: A Case–Control Study

This study aimed to characterize self-reported headaches because of problems with the teeth, mouth, jaws, or dentures (HATMJD) in chronic patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) in order to compare their results with those of TMD patients without such headaches and to investigate the associations of HATMJD with depression, anxiety, physical symptoms, oral behaviors, and sleep quality. We conducted a case–control study on consecutive chronic TMD patients referred to the University Medical Center of Ljubljana, Slovenia. A self-reported HATMJD was extracted from item #12 in the 49-item version of the Oral Health Impact Profile questionnaire. Axis II instruments of the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (i.e., for screening of depression, anxiety, specific comorbid functional disorders, and oral behaviors) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used in this study. In total, 177 TMD patients (77.4% women; mean age: 36.3 years) participated in this study; 109 (61.6%) patients were classified as TMD patients with HATMJD. TMD patients with at least mild depressive and anxiety symptoms, with at least low somatic symptom severity, and a high number of parafunctional behaviors had more HATMJD. Parafunctional behavior and sleep quality were the most prominent predictive factors of the occurrence of HATMJD. TMD patients with HATMJD have more psychosocial dysfunction, a higher frequency of oral behaviors, and poorer sleep quality than TMD patients without such headaches.

Understanding the interaction between clinical, emotional and psychophysical outcomes underlying tension-type headache: a network analysis approach

OBJECTIVE

Evidence supports that tension-type headache (TTH) involves complex underlying mechanisms. The current study aimed to quantify potential multivariate relationships between headache-related, psychophysical, psychological and health-related variables in patients with TTH using network analysis.

METHODS

Demographic (age, height, weight), headache-related (intensity, frequency, duration, and headache-related disability), psychological and emotional (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), psycho-physical (pressure pain thresholds [PPTs] and myofascial trigger points) and health-related variables (SF-36 questionnaire) were collected in 169 TTH patients. Network connectivity analysis was unsupervised conducted to quantify the adjusted correlations between the modelled variables and to assess their centrality indices (i.e., the connectivity with other symptoms in the network and the importance in the modelled network).

RESULTS

The connectivity network showed local associations between psychophysical and headache-related variables. Multiple significant local positive correlations between PPTs were observed, being the strongest weight between PPTs over the cervical spine and temporalis area ([Formula: see text]: 0.41). The node with the highest strength, closeness and betweenness centrality was depressive levels. Other nodes with high centrality were vitality and headache intensity.

DISCUSSION

This is the first study applying a network analysis to understand the connections between headache-related, psychophysical, psychological and health-related variables in TTH. Current findings support a model on how the variables are connected, albeit in separate clusters. The role of emotional aspects, such as depression, is supported by the network. Clinical implications of the findings, such as developing TTH treatments strategies targeting these most important variables, are discussed.

Endogenous melatonin levels and therapeutic use of exogenous melatonin in tension type headache: A systematic review

BACKGROUND-PURPOSE

A bidirectional relationship appears to connect tension-type headache (TTH) and circadian dysregulation. The present systematic review examined the published evidence for melatonin (MT) supplementation in the prophylaxis of TTH. Initially, we reviewed case-control studies investigating nocturnal MT or 6-sulphatoxymelatonin (aMT6s, a urine-discarded metabolite) in TTH individuals and healthy controls (HC). Secondly, we reviewed studies appraising the use of MT in the prevention of TTH.

METHODS

The search strategy involved MEDLINE EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, trial registries, Google Scholar and OpenGrey. Case-control studies were appraised according to the Newcastle-Ottawa-Scale, whereas randomised controlled trials were assessed based on the risk-of-bias Cochrane tool. Infrequent, as well as frequent, episodic, and chronic TTH patients were evaluated separately in children and adults.

RESULTS

Our search strategy yielded two case-control studies. One (high-quality) did not reveal any difference in morning salivary MT concentration between children with frequent episodic TTH and HC. The second (moderate-quality) was indicative of a disturbed nocturnal secretion pattern in adults with chronic TTH. For the second part, five uncontrolled studies were retrieved. In total, 94 adults with chronic TTH were assessed and results were suggestive of a beneficial effect of MT on headache frequency, intensity, induced disability, and induced analgesic consumption. However, the uncontrolled-unblinded designs may have induced an important placebo effect. Non-adult populations and frequent TTH were substantially understudied.

CONCLUSIONS

There are not enough studies to designate the role of MT in the prevention of TTH. Given the disease's background, additional relevant research is warranted for chronic TTH.

Tension-type headache

Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent neurological disorder worldwide and is characterized by recurrent headaches of mild to moderate intensity, bilateral location, pressing or tightening quality, and no aggravation by routine physical activity. Diagnosis is based on headache history and the exclusion of alternative diagnoses, with clinical criteria provided by the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition. Although the biological underpinnings remain unresolved, it seems likely that peripheral mechanisms are responsible for the genesis of pain in TTH, whereas central sensitization may be involved in transformation from episodic to chronic TTH. Pharmacological therapy is the mainstay of clinical management and can be divided into acute and preventive treatments. Simple analgesics have evidence-based effectiveness and are widely regarded as first-line medications for the acute treatment of TTH. Preventive treatment should be considered in individuals with frequent episodic and chronic TTH, and if simple analgesics are ineffective, poorly tolerated or contraindicated. Recommended preventive treatments include amitriptyline, venlafaxine and mirtazapine, as well as some selected non-pharmacological therapies. Despite the widespread prevalence and associated disability of TTH, little progress has been made since the early 2000s owing to a lack of attention and resource allocation by scientists, funding bodies and the pharmaceutical industry.

Estrategias de afrontamiento, estrés percibido y bienestar psicológico en individuos con cefalea primaria

El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar la asociación entre las estrategias de afrontamiento, el bienestar subjetivo y el estrés en personas con cefalea primaria - es decir, con dolor de cabeza sin origen orgánico. En total, participaron 150 personas adultas -135 mujeres y 15 hombres-diagnosticadas con cefalea primaria y episodios de cefalea en los últimos seis meses. Los instrumentos de medida utilizados fueron la Escala de satisfacción con la vida de Diener, la escala de estrategias de afrontamiento Brief Cope, la Escala de estrés percibido de Cohen, dos preguntas sobre la intensidad y frecuencia del dolor, y un cuestionario sociodemográfico. En general, se encontró que el bienestar subjetivo se relaciona positivamente con la planificación y negativamente con el uso de sustancias y la frecuencia del dolor; a la vez que el estrés percibido se asocia positivamente con negar la realidad del acontecimiento estresante, culpabilizarse por la situación ocurrida y la frecuencia del dolor, y negativamente con la aceptación de la situación estresante. Además, se observó un mayor estrés percibido en usuarios de atención pública de salud que en aquellos que son atendidos en el sistema privado. Este estudio permite identificar las estrategias que deben ser potenciadas o modificadas con ayuda del personal de salud para mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas con cefalea primaria.

[Sleep quality in women with chronic tension type headache: an observational study]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate sleep quality parameters and their correlations with clinical characteristics in chronic tension type headache (CTTH).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One hundred and sixty-one women with CTTH were enrolled. Sleep quality and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index components, headache frequency (HF), headache duration (HD), headache intensity (HI), pericranial muscle tenderness (PMT), widespread pain index (WPI), anxiety and depression were evaluated.

RESULTS

The prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI total score >5) was 94%. PSQI total score was significantly correlated (p<0.001) with HF (r=0.39), HI (r=0.36), PMT (r=0.32), WPI (r=0.52), and depression (r=0.54). Daytime dysfunction, the decrease in subjective sleep quality and the decrease in habitual sleep efficiency from mild to severe sleep disturbance were most prevalent: 70%, 69%, and 61%, respectively. Each of these parameters was correlated positively with characteristics of pain frequency and intensity. The relative insufficiency of sleep quantity had the prevalence 2.23 times as high as reduced sleep duration: 61% and 27%, respectively (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

CTTH is characterized by the decrease in sleep quality parameters, the main of which are Daytime dysfunction, Subjective sleep quality and Habitual sleep efficiency. Patients with CTTH characterize their sleep as: 1) of «bad» subjective quality, 2) non-restorative, 3) due to the relative insufficiency of its quantity.

Clinical Reasoning Behind Non-Pharmacological Interventions for the Management of Headaches: A Narrative Literature Review

Headache is the clinical syndrome most commonly observed by neurologists in daily practice. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments are commonly used for the management of headaches; however, the clinical reasoning behind these interventions is not properly applied. We conducted a narrative literature review using as data sources for academic PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, EBSCO, PEDro, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Collaboration Trials Register, and SCOPUS. This narrative literature review mainly considered systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised clinical trials, and expert opinions published after the year 2000 discussing clinical reasoning for application of non-pharmacological interventions in individuals with tension-type, migraine, and cervicogenic headaches. After the data extraction, we organized the literature thematically as follows: (1) mapping of theoretical aspects of non-pharmacological interventions; (2) summarizing most updated literature about effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions grouped by targeted tissue and headache; (3) identifying research gaps in the existing literature and proposing hypotheses for better understanding of current clinical reasoning. We found that there are many non-pharmacological treatment strategies used for headaches, including beyond the tissue-based impairment treatments (bottom-up) and strategies targeting the central nervous system (top down). Bottom-up strategies include joint-biased, soft-tissue biased, or needling interventions, whereas top-down strategies include exercise and cognitive interventions. Evidence shows that the effectiveness of these interventions depends on the application of proper clinical reasoning, since not all strategies are effective for all headaches. For instance, evidence of non-pharmacological interventions is more controversial for migraines than for tension-type or cervicogenic headaches, since migraine pathogenesis involves activation of sub-cortical structures and the trigemino- vascular system, whereas pathogenesis of tension-type or cervicogenic headaches is most associated to musculoskeletal impairments of the cervical spine. We conclude that current literature suggests that not all non-pharmacological interventions are effective for all headaches, and that multimodal, not isolated, approaches seem to be more effective for patients with headaches. Most published studies have reported small clinical effects in the short term. This narrative literature review provides some hypotheses for discrepancies in the available literature and future research. Clinical reasoning should be applied to better understand the effects of non-pharmacological interventions.

Current perspectives on sex differences in tension-type headache

INTRODUCTION

Clinical and experimental evidence supports the presence of several gender differences in the pain experience.

AREAS COVERED

The current paper discusses biological, psychological, emotional, and social differences according to gender and their relevance to TTH. Gender differences have also been observed in men and women with tension-type headache and they should be considered by clinicians managing this condition. It appears that multimodal treatment approaches lead to better outcomes in people with tension-type headache; however, management of tension-type headache should consider these potential gender differences. Different studies have observed the presence of complex interactions between tension-type headache, emotional stress, sleep, and burden and that these interactions are different between men and women.

EXPERT OPINION

Based on current results, the authors hypothesize that treatment of men with tension-type headache should focus on the improvement of sleep quality and the level of depression whereas treatment of women with TTH should focus on nociceptive mechanisms and emotional/stressful factors. Future trials should investigate the proposed hypotheses.

Effect of Sleep Quality on Headache-Related Impact in Primary Headache Disorders

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Sleep disturbance is common in patients with primary headache disorders. We were interest in whether poor sleep quality affects patients directly or via increases in the frequency and severity of headaches. To that end, we investigated the direct and indirect effects of sleep quality on the headache-related impact among patients with primary headache disorders.

METHODS

We analyzed migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) in patients included in the headache registry of our headache clinic from October 2015 to May 2018. We collected information on the headache frequency, severity, and psychological status. Sleep quality and headache-related impact were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Headache Impact Test-6, respectively. We performed path analyses with headache frequency and severity as covariates to determine the direct effect of sleep quality on the headache-related impact, and the indirect effects mediated by increases in the headache frequency and severity.

RESULTS

This study included 915 patients: 784 with migraine and 131 with TTH. Worse sleep quality was independently associated with greater headache-related impact in both patients with migraine and those with TTH. Path analysis revealed a direct effect (β=0.207, p<0.001) of sleep quality and an indirect effect mediated by headache frequency and severity (β=0.067, p=0.004) on the headache-related impact in migraine. In TTH, only direct effects of sleep quality on the headache-related impact were significant (β=0.224, p=0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

We suggest that poor sleep quality can directly increase the headache-related impact in both patients with migraine and TTH as well as indirectly by increasing the headache frequency and severity in patients with migraine.