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Meta-Analysis
. 2022 Aug 11;22(1):1533.
doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-13917-z.

Prevalence and risk factors of ischemic stroke-related headache in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Qi Xie  1 , Yinping Wu  2 , Juhong Pei  3 , Qianqian Gao  4 , Qiang Guo  5 , Xinglei Wang  6 , Juanping Zhong  1   2 , Yujie Su  1 , Junqiang Zhao  7 , Lanfang Zhang  8 , Xinman Dou  9   10
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Prevalence and risk factors of ischemic stroke-related headache in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Qi Xie et al. BMC Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Headache accompanying ischemic stroke is considered an independent predictor of neurological deterioration. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the prevalence of ischemic stroke-related headaches and identify its risk factors in China.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library database, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and four Chinese databases for the related publications were searched. Two researchers independently selected the literature, extracted the relevant data, and assessed its methodological quality. The meta-analysis applied a random-effects model with R software to calculate the pooled prevalence of ischemic stroke-related headaches in Chinese patients, and to merge the odds ratio (OR) of risk factors. Subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and meta-regression analysis were conducted. Publication bias was assessed by a funnel plot and Egger test.

Results: Ninety-eight studies were eligible for inclusion. The overall pooled prevalence of ischemic stroke-related headache was 18.9%. Subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of ischemic stroke related-headaches was higher among studies using self-report to diagnosis headache (18.9%; 95%CI, 8.9% to 40.2%), and those focused on age ≥ 55 years (19.7%; 95%CI, 14.9% to 25.9%), rural settings (24.9%; 95%CI, 19.7% to 31.6%). There were no significant differences in the headache prevalence between studies in the south and north, and inland and coastal studies. The prevalence of pre onset headache (13.9%) and tension-type headache (15.5%) and was higher compared with other types. History of headache (OR = 3.24; 95%CI, 2.26 to 4.65.), female gender (OR = 2.06; 95%CI, 1.44 to 2.96.), midbrain lesions (OR = 3.56; 95%CI, 1.86 to 6.83.), and posterior circulation stroke (OR = 2.13; 95%CI, 1.14 to 4.32) were major risk factors.

Conclusion: The prevalence of ischemic stroke-associated headache is high in China. In addition, women, presence of midbrain lesions, posterior circulation stroke and a history of migraine were high-risk factors for ischemic stroke-related headaches. Designing effective interventions to prevent or alleviated headaches is necessary to promote patients' neurological recovery and quality of life.

Keywords: Headache; Ischemic stroke; Meta-analysis; Prevalence; Risk factors; Systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram of the study selection process in the meta-analysis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Provincial distribution pattern of ischemic stroke headache prevalence in China
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest plot of the prevalence of headaches
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Funnel plot of the enrolled studies
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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