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Prognosis of Migraine and Tension-Type
Headache: A Population-Based Follow-Up Study
Lyngberg AC, Rasmussen BK, Jorgensen T, Jensen R.
Posted: May 2006  
Neurology 2005;65:580-585

Objective:   To determine the prognosis of migraine and tension-type headache and to identify prognostic factors.

Methods:   Of 740 persons examined, 673 were eligible for follow-up in 2001. All interviews at baseline and at follow-up were conducted by medical doctors and based on the 1988 IHS criteria.

Results:   A total of 549 persons participated in the follow-up study. Of 64 migraineurs at baseline, 42% had experienced remission, 38% had low migraine frequency, and 20% had more than 14 migraine days per year at follow-up. Poor outcome was associated with high migraine frequency at baseline and age at onset younger than 20 years. Among 146 subjects with frequent episodic tension-type headache and 15 with chronic tension-type headache at baseline, 45% experienced infrequent or no tension-type headache, 30% had frequent episodic tension-headache, and 16% experienced chronic tension-type headache at follow-up. Poor outcome was associated with baseline chronic tension-type headache, coexisting migraine, not being married, and sleeping problems.

Conclusions:   The prognosis of migraine, frequent episodic tension-type headache, and chronic tension-type headache was favorable.