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Previous History of Migraine Is Associated With Fatigue, but Not Headache, as Long-Term Post-COVID Symptom After Severe Acute Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case-Control Study

C. Fernández-de-las-Peñas, V. Gómez-Mayordomo, D. García-Azorín, D. Palacios-Ceña, L. Florêncio, Á. Guerrero, V. Hernández-Barrera, M. Cuadrado

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2021

57 participants · 29 citations

Abstract

Objective To investigate the association of pre-existing migraine in patients hospitalised and who recovered from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with the presence of post-coronavirus disease (COVID) symptoms. Background No study has investigated the role of migraine as a risk factor for development of post-COVID symptoms. Methods A case-control study including individuals hospitalised during the first wave of the pandemic (from February 20 to May 31, 2020) was conducted. Patients with confirmed previous diagnosis of migraine were considered cases. Two age- and sex-matched individuals without a history of headache per case were also recruited as controls. Hospitalisation/clinical data were collected from hospital medical records. Patients were scheduled for a telephone interview. A list of post-COVID symptoms was systematically evaluated, but participants were invited to freely report any symptom. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used to assess anxiety/depressive symptoms and sleep quality. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were constructed. Results Overall, 57 patients with confirmed diagnosis of migraine and 144 non-migraine controls who had recovered from COVID-19 were assessed at 7.3 months (SD 0.6) after hospital discharge. The number of post-COVID symptoms in the migraine group was significantly greater (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.29–2.25, P < 0.001) than in the…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 57 participants or records.

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