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The bidirectional relationship between headache and chronic musculoskeletal complaints: an 11‐year follow‐up in the N ord‐ T røndelag H ealth S tudy ( HUNT )
Author(s) -
Hagen K.,
Linde M.,
Steiner T. J.,
Zwart J.A.,
Stovner L. J.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2012.03725.x
Subject(s) - medicine , confounding , cohort , population , cohort study , multivariate analysis , environmental health
Background and purpose Chronic daily headache ( CDH ) and chronic musculoskeletal complaints ( CMSC s) are associated disorders, but whether there is a causal relationship between them is unclear. Objective To determine whether CMSC s are associated with the subsequent development of CDH and vice versa. Methods This longitudinal population‐based cohort study used data from two consecutive surveys in the N ord‐ T røndelag H ealth S tudy ( HUNT 2 and 3) performed in 1995–1997 and 2006–2008. Amongst the 51 383 participants aged ≥ 20 years at baseline, 41 766 were eligible approximately 11 years later. Of these, 26 197 (63%) completed the questions regarding headache and CMSC s in HUNT 3. Results A bidirectional relationship was found between headache and CMSC s. In the multivariate analyses adjusting for known potential confounders, a nearly two fold risk ( OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.5–2.3) for developing CDH was found for those with CMSC s at baseline. Vice versa, a similarly elevated risk of CMSC s ( OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.6), and even higher risk of chronic widespread MSC s ( OR 2.7; 95% CI 1.6–4.7), was found at follow‐up amongst those with CDH at baseline. Conclusion CMSCs predispose to CDH and CDH predisposes to CMSC s 11 years later. This may have relevance to understanding the pathophysiology of these disorders. CMSC s should be treated not only to relieve them but also to prevent the development of CDH , and vice versa.