ABSTRACT

Background: Headache is a most common complaint seen among patients visiting neurologist and general physicians. The incidence of headache was reported between 12–50 percent among elderly people. Headache has ability to affect adversely the life quality of patients, limits community and domestic activities and hence, carries a significant disability burden.

Objective: The objective of the study is to investigate the primary headache among elderly people of Lahore.

Material and Methods: It was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted in Lahore General Hospital, Lahore. Patients aged 18 years and above referred to Neurology Outpatient Department of LGH for headache were included. The participants were divided into 2 groups: aged 18 to 64 years (younger patients) and aged >65 years (elderly patients).

Results: Among 90 younger respondents the mean age was 28.7+5.3 years while among 75 elderly respondents the mean age was 75.6+8.7 years. In younger and elderly groups, 8.9% & 38.7% patients had mild headache, 47.8% & 21 28.0% had moderate headache and 43.3% & 25 33.3% patients had severe headache, respectively.  In younger and elderly groups, 54.5% & 10.7% patients had migraine without aura, 14.5% & 6.6% had migraine with aura, 11.1% & 4.0% had chronic migraine, 10.0% & 20.0% patients had infrequent and frequent episodic tension-type headache, 3.3% & 22.7% patients had chronic tension-type headache, 1.1% & 2.7% patients had cluster headache, 1.1% & 8.0% had trigeminal neuralgia, 0.0% & 2.7% had glossopharyngeal neuralgia and 4.4% & 22.6% patients had unspecified headache, respectively.

Conclusion: Study concluded that among elderly patients, headache was started any time while mild headache, chronic tension-type headache, unspecified headache, throbbing/pulsating and <15 headache days per month were more prevalent among elderly patients.