RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Common diagnoses and factors associated with abnormal neuroimaging in headache patients in the emergency department
JF Neurosciences Journal
JO Neurosciences (Riyadh)
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 36
OP 41
DO 10.17712/nsj.2023.1.20220042
VO 28
IS 1
A1 Alanazy, Mohammed H.
A1 Almalak, Hassan
A1 Alaboudi, Malak
A1 Abujamea, Abdullah
A1 Albilali, Abdul
A1 Muayqil, Taim
YR 2023
UL http://nsj.org.sa/content/28/1/36.abstract
AB Objectives: To determine causes of headaches in patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) and underwent neuroimaging, and to determine the clinical features associated with abnormal neuroimaging.Methods: Patients were retrospectively selected from a database between June, 2015 and May, 2019. Patients were included if they had neuroimaging requested from the ED mainly for headache. Associations between clinical characteristics and abnormal neuroimaging were assessed.Results: We included 329 patients (33.4% men, 66.6% women). The mean (SD) age was 39.7 (18.4) years. Neurological signs were reported in 43.8% of the patients, head-computed tomography was requested in 79.6%, magnetic resonance imaging in 77.5%, and both in 57.1%. Abnormal neuroimaging was reported in 31.9%. The most common reported diagnoses were secondary headache disorders (48.9%), followed by primary headache disorders (16.4%). The remainder were nonspecific-headaches (35%). Variables associated with abnormal neuroimaging were headache onset ≤1 month (OR 3.37, CI 1.47–7.70, p=0.004), and presence of an abnormal neurological sign (OR 3.60, CI 1.89–6.83, p<0.001).Conclusion: Secondary headache disorders are common in patients who undergo neuroimaging in the ED. Those who have a neurological sign and recent onset of headache are more likely to have abnormal neuroimaging.