Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 May;39(6):761-784.
doi: 10.1177/0333102418806864. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

Diagnostic and classification tools for chronic headache disorders: A systematic review

Rachel Potter  1 , Katrin Probyn  2 , Celia Bernstein  1 , Tamar Pincus  2 , Martin Underwood  1 , Manjit Matharu  3
Affiliations

Diagnostic and classification tools for chronic headache disorders: A systematic review

Rachel Potter et al. Cephalalgia. 2019 May.

Abstract

Background or aim: Despite guidelines and the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-III beta) criteria, the diagnosis of common chronic headache disorders can be challenging for non-expert clinicians. The aim of the review was to identify headache classification tools that could be used by a non-expert clinician to classify common chronic disorders in primary care.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review of studies validating diagnostic and classification headache tools published between Jan 1988 and June 2016 from key databases: MEDLINE, ASSIA, Embase, Web of Knowledge and PsycINFO. Quality assessment was assessed using items of the Quality of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2).

Results: The search identified 38 papers reporting the validation of 30 tools designed to diagnose, classify or screen for headache disorders; nine for multiple headache types, and 21 for one headache type only. We did not identify a tool validated in a primary care that can be used by a non-expert clinician to classify common chronic headache disorders and screen for primary headaches other than migraine and tension-type headache in primary care.

Conclusions: Despite the availability of many headache classification tools we propose the need for a tool that could support primary care clinicians in diagnosing and managing chronic headache disorders within primary care, and allow more targeted referral to headache specialists.

Keywords: Chronic headache; diagnostic criteria; primary care.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA flow chart of article selection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Latinovic R, Gulliford M and Ridsdale L. Headache and migraine in primary care: consultation, prescription, and referral rates in a large population. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2006; 77: 385–387. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Hopkins A, Menken M and DeFriese G. A record of patient encounters in neurological practice in the United Kingdom. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1989; 52: 436–438. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kernick D, Stapley S, Hamilton W. GPs' classification of headache: Is primary headache underdiagnosed?. Br J Gen Pract 2008; 58: 102–104. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Schreiber CP, Hutchinson S, Webster CJ, et al. Prevalence of migraine in patients with a history of self-reported or physician-diagnosed “sinus” headache. Arch Intern Med 2004; 164: 1769–1772. - PubMed
    1. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (beta version). Cephalalgia 2013; 33: 629–808. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms