Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction were greatest among those with persistent posttraumatic headaches (PPTH) compared to migraine and healthy controls (HCs), a recent study found. In addition, among individuals with PPTH, number of lifetime traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) was associated with greater symptoms of autonomic dysfunction, while greater headache burden was associated with higher vasomotor domain autonomic dysfunction subscores, potentially indicating that PPTH patients with higher disease burden have an increased risk for having autonomic dysfunction. Individuals with PPTH (n=56) (87.5% of whom had a migraine/probable migraine phenotype), migraine (n=30), and HCs (n=36) were prospectively assessed in this cross‐sectional cohort study using the COMPASS‐31 questionnaire. Total COMPASS‐31 scores and individual domain scores were compared between subject groups. Researchers found:
- COMPASS‐31 mean total weighted score was 37.22 ± 15.44 in the PPTH group, 27.15 ± 14.37 in the migraine group, and 11.67 ± 8.98 for HCs.
- COMPASS‐31 mean weighted total scores were significantly higher in those with PPTH vs migraine, for PPTH vs HCs, and for migraine vs HCs.
Howard L, Dumkrieger G, Chong CD, Ross K, Berisha V, Schwedt TJ. Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction among those with persistent posttraumatic headache attributed to mild traumatic brain injury: A comparison to migraine and healthy controls. [Published online ahead of print August 29, 2018]. Headache. doi:10.1111/head.13396.