Characteristics of headache during and after digital substraction angiography: A critical re-appraisal of the ICHD-3 criteria

Introduction

Headache is a frequent but neglected side effect of angiography, and the criteria for angiography related headache have been based on only a few studies.

Methods

One-hundred and thirty nine patients who underwent cerebral angiography and 30 controls who underwent peripheral angiography participated in this prospective, non-randomized, case-control study. Participants were instructed to tell the angiography staff in case a headache developed and were questioned about their headache just after, 24 hours after, and one week after angiography.

Results

In the cerebral angiography group 42 patients (30.2%) had procedural headache compared to three of the controls (10%). Two different types of headache related to angiography were observed: one during angiography, which was related to contrast injection, and the other occuring within 24 hours. Both headaches were more frequent in patients with a history of primary headache, but were distinctly different from the premorbid headache. Headache characteristics are described in detail.

Discussion

Both types of headache related to angiography did not match the ICHD-3beta criteria for angiography headache, but were similar to headaches reported in studies that were not included in the current criteria. The timing and characteristics of these headaches are discussed in the light of our and previous reports. We suggest that the present ICHD-3 beta criteria are inadequate in properly defining angiography headache and should be revised in the light of the present literature.

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