Comparison of Pain-Related and Psychological Variables between Acute and Chronic Migraine Patients, and Factors Affecting Headache Chronicity

Abstract

Background: Migraine headache is classified as acute or chronic. In recent years, efforts have beenmade to identify the factors that might predispose individuals to develop the chronic-type headache.The present study aimed to draw a comparison between patients with acute and chronic migraine interms of demographic, pain-related, and psychological variables. In addition, we also investigatedfactors affecting headache chronicity in such patients.Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted during 2017-2018. The target sampleconsisted of 250 patients with acute or chronic migraine who referred to various clinics affiliatedto Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Shiraz, Iran, recruited by convenience sampling.All the participants filled in the questionnaires related to demographic characteristics, pain intensity,disability, depression, emotional intelligence, and anger. The data were analyzed using SPSS software(version 22.0) with t test, Chi-square test, and logistic regression analysis. Pstatistically significant.Results: Patients suffering from chronic migraine experienced higher levels of disability, depression,anger, and had lower levels of emotional intelligence compared to those with acute migraine. Basedon the logistic regression analysis, variables that had a significant effect on headache chronicity werefemale gender (OR=5.81), married status (OR=3.77), patients with lower level of education (OR=0.26),headache duration (OR=1.53), disability (OR=0.28), depression (OR=3.66), and anger (OR=5.04).Conclusion: Variables such as disability, depression, and lack of anger control were among the keyfactors associated with headache chronicity in migraine patients.

Keywords

• Anger
• Chronicity
• Disability
• emotional intelligence
• migraine