Abstract Details

Title Epidemiology of Primary Exercise Headache: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis with Comparison Between Clinic- and Population-based Settings

Topic Headache

Presentation(s) P9 - Poster Session 9 (5:00 PM-6:00 PM)

Poster/Presentation
Number 15-015

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of primary exercise headache (PEH) in clinic- and population-based settings.

Background Physical exertion-related primary headaches include those triggered by prolonged exercise, sexual activity, and Valsalva maneuvers such as coughing. PEH is a specific type of headache that occurs during or immediately after exercise, without underlying cranial pathology. To date, no meta-analyses have assessed the prevalence of PEH. As a result, epidemiological data remain limited and highly variable despite advances in classification. Reported lifetime prevalence in population-based studies ranges from 0.2% to 12.3%. These gaps highlight the need for a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize available data. Such evidence would provide clinicians with practical guidance for accurate and timely diagnosis.

Design/Methods Major databases were thoroughly searched for articles that presented original data on the epidemiology of PEH. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed in order to calculate the pooled prevalence estimates (PPE), where I2 were used to measure the between-study heterogeneity. The study's structure adhered closely to the MOOSE and PRISMA.

Results Out of the original 2,083 records, 12 articles satisfied all inclusion requirements. The pooled mean age of onset of PEH was 27.47 years (95%CI:21.99-32.95). The PPE of PEH among adult patients evaluated for a headache in a clinic-based scenario was 0.46% (95%CI:0.18-1.20)(I2=94.86), there was no sex predominance regarding the frequency of diagnosis. The epidemiology of PEH in the general population was estimated to be 4.92% (95%CI:1.84-12.49)(I2=98.73) and in addition, PEH was more prevalent among females than males.

Conclusions Our study showed that PEH is a rare primary headache disorder among adults evaluated for a headache in a clinic-based setting and is significantly more common in the general population. Furthermore, PEH is diagnosed within similar frequency among both sexes in headache-oriented clinics and moreover, predominantly late twenties. However, in the general population, there is a notable female preponderance.

Authors/Disclosures
Maksymilian Osiowski, MD PRESENTER	The institution of Mr. Osiowski has received research support from Ministry of Science and Higher ��ɫ�� of the Republic of Poland.
Aleksander Osiowski, MD	Mr. Osiowski has nothing to disclose.

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