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. 2022 Sep 1;32(5):e457-e460.
doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000001002. Epub 2021 Dec 27.

Premorbid Primary Headache and Vestibular and Oculomotor Baseline Assessments in Collegiate Athletes

Karlee N Burns  1 , Theresa Dianne Langford  2 , Ryan Tierney  3 , Jane McDevitt  3
Affiliations

Premorbid Primary Headache and Vestibular and Oculomotor Baseline Assessments in Collegiate Athletes

Karlee N Burns et al. Clin J Sport Med. .

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of premorbid headache status on vestibular and oculomotor baseline tests in collegiate club athletes.

Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Setting: Sport Concussion Laboratory.

Patients or participants: Collegiate club athletes with a self-reported premorbid headache history (n = 32, 19.50 ± 1.98 years, and 31% women) and age-sex-sport-matched controls (n = 32, 19.56 ± 1.47 years, and 31% women) without a self-reported headache history were included.

Interventions: Participants were grouped based on a self-reported headache history at baseline. Controls were randomly matched to self-reported headache participants by age, sex, and sport.

Main outcome measures: Vestibular/ocular motor screen (VOMS) baseline symptoms, symptom provocation, near point of convergence (NPC) distance, and King-Devick (K-D) test time were compared between groups.

Results: Athletes with a self-reported headache history at baseline are 3.82 times more likely to have abnormal NPC scores (P = 0.032) and 4.76 times more likely to have abnormal K-D test times (P = 0.014) than those without a headache history. There was no difference in VOMS baseline symptoms or symptom provocation between groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: Club collegiate athletes with a headache history were more likely to screen as abnormal during a vestibular/ocular motor function assessment than athletes without a history of headaches. Healthcare professionals should screen for pre-existing headache during baseline concussion assessments before test interpretation.

Clinical relevance: A premorbid headache history at preseason baseline assessment may influence vestibular and oculomotor function, and care should be taken when interpreting these individuals' tests.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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