Prevalence of primary headaches in Germany: results of the German Headache Consortium Study

Abstract

We investigated the prevalence of migraine (MIG), tension-type headache (TTH), and chronic headache in a population-based sample in Germany. A total of 18,000 subjects aged between 18 and 65 years were screened from 2003 until 2005 using a validated questionnaire. Overall 9,944 participants (55.2%) responded (mean age 43 ± 13.1 years, 52.7% women). Headache frequency <15 days/month was reported by 5,350 (55.5%) subjects of whom 1,601 (16.6%, [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 15.9–17.4]) reported episodic MIG, 1,202 (12.5%, 95% CI 11.8–13.1) episodic TTH, and 1,150 (11.9%, [11.3–12.6]) episodic MIG + episodic TTH, 1,396 (14.5%, [13.8–15.2]) unclassifiable headache. In women, episodic MIG peaked between 36 and 40 years, episodic MIG + TTH between 18 and 35 years and episodic TTH between 56 and 66 years. In men, episodic MIG was predominant between 36 and 45 years, episodic MIG + TTH between 26 and 35 years and episodic TTH showed comparable frequency between 36 and 66 years. Headache ≥15 days/month was reported by 2.6% (n = 255, [95% CI 2.3–3]). Chronic MIG was reported by 1.1% (n = 108, [0.91–1.33]), chronic TTH (n = 50, [95% CI 0.4–0.7]), chronic MIG + TTH 0.8% (n = 74, 95% CI 0.6–0.9) and unclassifiable headache 0.2% (n = 23, [95% CI 0.1–0.3]). Chronic headache was more frequent in women compared to men with the highest prevalence between 46 and 65 years. It is of note that the number of subjects with chronic headache is small in all age groups. The results of our large, population-based study provide reliable, age- and sex-specific estimates of the prevalence of primary headache disorders in Germany. The prevalence with respect to episodic and chronic primary headache disorders in Germany is comparable to other European countries and the USA.

Prevalence and burden of primary headache disorders among a local community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…In the 2012 headache consortium study of Germany, the prevalence of all types of migraine was about 18% [23]. It is well known the prevalence in developed nations of America and Europe is much higher than that of Africa and Asia.…”

Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome in cases with migraine and tension type headache

“…17% of these patients had migraine, 13.35% had TTH and 12.8% had both TTH and migraine together. 11 In the study carried out by Sakhel et al, other atypical symptoms were grouped together with headache, and headache typology was not performed. This resulted in the headache frequency being detected as even lower than that in the German population.…”

Мигрень: Новые Международные Критерии Постановки Диагноза И Принципы Терапии, Основанные На Доказательной Медицине И Собственном Клиническом Опыте

“…Исследование, проведенное среди 18 000 взрослых жителей Германии в возрасте от 18 до 65 лет, показало, что головную боль в течение послед-них 12 месяцев испытывали 55 % опрошенных [2]. Ми-грень была выявлена в 17,9 % случаев, чаще у женщин (23,9 %), чем у мужчин (11,1 %).…”

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N¹ 3(81), 2016Мигрень является одним из наиболее распростра-ненных и социально значимых заболеваний, от которого страдают до 14,4 % населения [1][2][3]. В последнее время внимание к мигренозной головной боли (ГБ) возросло не только среди неврологов, но и среди врачей общей практики и семейной медицины, терапевтов, кардио-логов, а также врачей других специальностей.

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