Neurology Department, C/ Hermandad de Donantes de Sangre, Torrecárdenas University Hospital, 04009, Almería, Spain.
Acta Neurol Belg. 2024 Feb;124(1):257-262. doi: 10.1007/s13760-023-02389-6. Epub 2023 Sep 28.
Menstrual migraine (MM) is widely recognized among the scientific community, with diagnostic criteria included in the appendix of the third edition of the International Headache Classification. However, this classification does not include other primary headaches that may occur during menstruation. Previous retrospective studies suggest the existence of menstrual tension-type headache. Our objective is to prospectively determine the existence of this type of headache and to determine its frequency relative to that of MM.
This is a descriptive, cross-sectional (case series), prospective, observational study, conducted in a hospital neurology department, using a previously validated ad hoc questionnaire. Participants were recruited by consecutive sampling, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria among women accompanying neurology outpatients, and classified into five groups: pure menstrual tension-type headache, menstrual-related tension-type headache, pure menstrual migraine, menstrual-related migraine and unclassifiable.
Ninety-five women (median age of 38.50 years, IQR: 13) were included, with the following group distribution: 13 (13.6%) pure menstrual tension-type headache, 14 (14.7%) menstruation-related tension-type headache, 23 (24.2%) pure menstrual migraine, 44 (46.3%) menstrual-related migraine and 1 unclassifiable. Of these patients, 23% did not treat menstrual headache, but this figure rose to 30.8% in the case of pure menstrual tension-type headache.
The results confirm the existence of pure menstrual tension-type headache among women who do not seek medical care for this condition. The frequency of this headache is lower than that of MM. This reduced incidence, together with its generally mild nature, may explain the lack of prior recognition.
经期偏头痛（MM）在科学界得到广泛认可，其诊断标准包含在国际头痛分类的第三版附录中。然而，该分类并不包括其他可能在经期发生的原发性头痛。先前的回顾性研究表明存在经期紧张型头痛。我们的目的是前瞻性地确定这种头痛的存在，并确定其相对于 MM 的频率。
这是一项描述性、横断面（病例系列）、前瞻性、观察性研究，在一家医院神经内科进行，使用之前验证过的专门问卷。通过连续抽样招募参与者，在神经内科门诊患者的陪同者中应用纳入和排除标准，并将其分为五组：单纯经期紧张型头痛、经期相关紧张型头痛、单纯经期偏头痛、经期相关偏头痛和无法分类。
共纳入 95 名女性（中位数年龄为 38.50 岁，IQR：13），分组情况如下：13 名（13.6%）单纯经期紧张型头痛、14 名（14.7%）经期相关紧张型头痛、23 名（24.2%）单纯经期偏头痛、44 名（46.3%）经期相关偏头痛和 1 名无法分类。这些患者中，23%的人不治疗经期头痛，但在单纯经期紧张型头痛患者中，这一比例上升至 30.8%。
研究结果证实了不寻求医疗干预的女性中存在单纯经期紧张型头痛。这种头痛的频率低于 MM。这种发病率降低，加上其通常较轻的性质，可能解释了之前对其缺乏认识。
