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Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder in U . S . Soldiers With Post‐Traumatic Headache
Author(s) -
Rosenthal Jacqueline F.,
Erickson Jay C.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
headache: the journal of head and face pain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.14
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1526-4610
pISSN - 0017-8748
DOI - 10.1111/head.12200
Subject(s) - traumatic stress , migraine , neurology , medicine , traumatic brain injury , cohort , psychiatry , physical therapy
Objective To determine the impact of post‐traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) on headache characteristics and headache prognosis in U . S . soldiers with post‐traumatic headache. Background PTSD and post‐concussive headache are common conditions among U . S . Army personnel returning from deployment. The impact of comorbid PTSD on the characteristics and outcomes of post‐traumatic headache has not been determined in U . S . Army soldiers. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 270 consecutive U . S . Army soldiers diagnosed with post‐traumatic headache at a single Army neurology clinic. All subjects were screened for PTSD at baseline using the PTSD symptom checklist. Headache frequency and characteristics were determined for post‐traumatic headache subjects with and without PTSD at baseline. Headache measures were reassessed 3 months after the baseline visit, and were compared between groups with and without PTSD . Results Of 270 soldiers with post‐traumatic headache, 105 (39%) met screening criteria for PTSD . There was no significant difference between subjects with PTSD and those without PTSD with regard to headache frequency (17.2 vs 15.7 headache days per month; P = .15) or chronic daily headache (58.1% vs 52.1%; P = .34). Comorbid PTSD was associated with higher headache‐related disability as measured by the Migraine Disability Assessment Score. Three months after the baseline neurology clinic visit, the number of subjects with at least 50% reduction in headache frequency was similar among post‐traumatic headache cases with and without PTSD (25.9% vs 26.8%). Conclusion PTSD is prevalent among U . S . Army soldiers with post‐traumatic headache. Comorbid PTSD is not associated with more frequent headaches or chronic daily headache in soldiers evaluated at a military neurology clinic for chronic post‐traumatic headache. Comorbid PTSD does not adversely affect short‐term headache outcomes, although prospective controlled trials are needed to better assess this relationship.