Persistent post-COVID 19 headache: results of a national survey

Abstract

Introduction. According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), post-COVID-19 syndrome refers to a multisystemic affection with symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks after the onset of acute disease. Persistent headache, with a prevalence of 18%, seems to be the fifth most common symptom in patients with the so-called long COVID syndrome, which is characterized by “brain fog” with cognitive disturbances, fatigue, dyspnea, myalgia and muscle weakness, depression. The burden, characteristics, pathophysiology and management of long COVID headache are not completely understood. Purpose. To evaluate clinical phenotype of post-Covid 19 persistent headache in patients with acute headache history during the acute period of Covid 19 infection (study published in BAMS 2021). Material and methods This study is a survey. People, previously involved in the national survey of Headache in the context of the COVID 19 pandemic (conducted for 3 months in 2021), were asked to complete online a structured questionnaire. These patients had been tested serologically Covid 19 positive for the first time- more than 9 months ago. Results. From 140 people previously involved in the study "Headache in the context of COVID 19 pandemic - the results of a national survey", 89 patients completed the questionnaire about the persistence of post-Covid 19 headache, from which 30 people (33.7%) mentioned the persistence of headache after recovery. Mostly, we observed a moderate-severe intensity of the headache, which was localized in 33.3% (10p) in frontal region, with a predominantly oppressive character in 56.7% cases. In 60% cases, patients have experienced 1-2 times/week headache using in 5.3 ± 4.74 days/month (min 0.0; max 15.0) drug treatment. Conclusions. The headache is a disabling symptom of Covid 19 infection that persists even after recovery, it is clinically manifested by severe, moderate-severe pain affecting young women, a clinical feature Keywords highlighted in other previous studies.