[Migraine: clinical features and disability in a rural population in Cuba]. / Migraña: características clínicas y discapacidad en una población rural cubana.

AIM: To identify the clinical-epidemiological features and the factors related to the presence of disability in patients with migraine. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural population at the Policlinica Mabay in the province of Granma, Cuba. The second International Headache Society classification was used. Sample size, which was calculated using the program EpiInfo 2002, was 360 adult workers over 18 years of age, who were selected by simple random sampling. RESULTS: Sixty-one respondents were diagnosed with migraine (prevalence: 16.9%; 95% CI = 13.3-21.31). Prevalence among females was 24.3% (CI 95% = 18.7-30.82) and 7.1% (CI 95% = 3.8-12.73) among males. Chronic migraine was the most frequent, with 25 cases (prevalence: 6.9%; CI 95% = 4.63-10.21), followed by migraine without aura, with 18 diagnoses (prevalence: 5%; CI 95% = 3.08-7.93). Frequency of headaches was greater in females (30.17 Y 12 days versus 23.45 Y 10 days; p = 0.041), as was their duration (19.87 Y 6.95 h versus 15.73 Y 5.58 h in males; p = 0.027). Minimal disability affected 24.6% of patients with migraine and 39.3% suffered moderate disability. Higher degrees of disability were associated to being female, the time elapsed since onset of the disease (21.04 Y 10.1 years versus 15.33 Y 7.5 years; p = 0.017), the frequency of headaches in the last three months (30.28 Y 10.1 days with headache versus 25.25 Y 8.5; p = 0.042), the duration of the headache (23.3 Y 15.24 h versus 12.38 Y 10.9 h; p = 0.002) and chronic migraine (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: There is a great social and occupational burden of disability in patients with migraine in the geographical area under study, and females are affected by this condition to a greater extent.

[Prevalence of primary headaches in a rural population in Cuba]. / Prevalencia de cefaleas primarias en una población rural cubana.

AIM: To determine the prevalence and the clinical-epidemiological and therapeutic characteristics of primary headaches in a rural population in Cuba. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural population of the Policlinica Mabay in the province of Granma, Cuba. The second International Headache Society classification was used. Sample size, which was calculated by means of the program EpiInfo 2002, was 360 adult workers over 18 years of age, who were selected by simple random sampling. RESULTS: The prevalence of primary headaches was 44.72%. There was a predominance of females (71.4%). 31.1% of cases were between 50 and 59 years old. 36.6% had a family history of headaches. Onset of headaches occurred before the age of 15 years in 44.1% of patients. The most frequent location was occipital (45.3% of cases). The most frequent precipitating factors were stress (27.9%) and menstruation (27.3%). The predominant accompanying symptom was dizziness (26.1%). Tension-type headache was the most prevalent, with 92 patients (25.56%), followed by migraine, with 61 diagnoses (16.94%). 78.3% of the patients with tension-type headache and 70.5% of those with migraine tried self-medication with dipyrone and paracetamol. Patients with migraine made more frequent use of prophylactic treatment than those who suffered from tension-type headache (32.8% versus 16.3%; p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of primary headaches is high in the rural population under study; the high rate of prescription drug abuse (mainly painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) has led to a significant number of headaches becoming chronic. This health problem is also seen to have an important effect on occupational affairs.

[The epidemiology of headaches in hospitalised psychiatric patients]. / Epidemiología de la cefalea en pacientes psiquiátricos hospitalizados.

AIM: To determine the frequency and characteristics of the headaches suffered by hospitalised psychiatric patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted among the patients admitted to the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe who required consultation in Internal Medicine due to headaches. The International Headache Society classification was used. Demographic data (age and sex), alarm signals (age of onset of headaches after the age of 50 years, thunderclap headache, persistent unilateral location, presence of febrile symptoms, mental changes, new focal symptoms, history of traumatic head injury, Aids or cancer and the presence of meningeal signs) and definitive diagnosis. RESULTS: Altogether 180 (8.7%) patients visited mainly due to headaches, 28 (15.6%) of whom were attended for primary headaches and 152 (84.4%) had secondary type headaches. Chronic tension-type headache was the most common among primary headaches (39.3%); the most frequently diagnosed secondary headaches were those due to systemic disorders, with 119 cases; and a neurological cause was found in 33 patients. Most of the alarm signals appeared in patients with secondary headaches. CONCLUSIONS: Headache is a frequent reason for visiting in the Internal Medicine consultation at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe; the prevalence of secondary headaches due to neurological causes is high.

[The prevalence of primary headaches in the working population at a psychiatric hospital in Zimbabwe]. / Prevalencia de cefaleas primarias en la poblacion laboral de un hospital psiquiatrico de Zimbabwe.

AIM: To determine the rate of prevalence and the clinical-epidemiological and therapeutic characteristics of primary headaches in Zimbabwe. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out on the working population at the National Psychiatric Hospital in Zimbabwe. The International Headache Society classification was used. Sample size, which was calculated by means of the program EpiInfo 2002, was 175 workers, who were selected by simple random sampling. RESULTS: The rate of prevalence of primary headaches was 37.1%. 66.1% of cases were between 20 and 39 years old. 29.2% had a family history of headaches. Tension-type headaches (47.7%) and common migraine (30.8%) were the predominant types. Onset of headaches occurred before the age of 15 years in 46.12% of patients. The most frequent location was cervical, which was found in 40% of cases. The most frequent precipitating factors were menstruation (24.6%) and stress (21.5%). The most frequent accompanying symptom was tearing (27.7%). 40% suffered headaches three or more times a month. The predominant symptomatic treatment was paracetamol (83.1%) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (52.3%). Beta blockers and amitriptyline were used as prophylactic therapy for the episodes of headache in 18.5% and 13.8% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of primary headaches is high among the working population under study.