Effects of weather conditions on severity, duration and frequency of headache attacks in patients with episodic migraine and episodic tension-type headache

In clinical practice, although patients with headache report that frequency and severity of attacks change by seasons and weather conditions; there is not a distinct relation between characteristics of attacks in episodic headaches and weather conditions. Patients with headache often imply that change in weather conditions triggers headache off and impairs its symptoms. In this study, we aimed to assess how variants of weather conditions (temperature, wind velocity, wind direction, humidity, pressure, ultraviolet (UV) index and sunshine duration) affect severity, duration and frequency of attacks in episodic migraine and episodic tension-type headache (ETTH) and compare these two types of episodic headaches in terms of effects of weather conditions on duration, severity and frequency of headache. Fifty patients with episodic migraine and fifty patients with ETTH diagnosed with International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-II) which published by International Headache Society (IHS) in 2004 and translated to our language, are included. After the patients examined neurologically, they filled out a Headache Assessment Form used in our clinic. Each one is given diaries to observe headache. Relation between weather conditions and findings regarding severity, duration and frequency of headache are assessed and two types of headaches are compared in terms of effects of weather condition to characteristics of headaches. In statistical analysis of our study, defining statistics regarding continuous variables were shown by mean, standart deviation, median, minimum and maximum values, categorical variables were shown by frequency and percentage. The suitability of continuous variables for normal distribution were shown by Shapiro Wilk test..In comparisons of two groups, unpaired t-test for variables which have a normal distribution and Mann Whitney U test for variables which do not have normal distribution were used. In all statistical comparisons in our study, p values less than 0.05 are considered statistically significant. In our study,it is determined that mean wind velocity in episodic migraine is significantly higher than the values in tension-type headache (TTH) and mean UV index is significantly higher in attacks of TTH (one by one, p=0,018 and 0,039) Mean UV index reported significantly higher in women than men (p=0,044). Mean sunshine duration in attacks of TTH reported significantly longer in women than men (p=0,050). Our analysis showed that when mean age gets higher in patients with migraine, mean temperature in the days with attack gets lower (r=-0,146 and p=0,046). Consequently, with these findings patients with migraine and TTH can be advised or warned regarding weather conditions in medical treatments. These briefings can be leading for patients to modify their lifestyles. However, when treatment is reconsidered due to unresponsiveness to treatment, it is notable to take into consideration relation between headache and weather conditions.