Headache in Chagasic Women

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of headache between Chagasic and Non-chagasic women. The cross-sectional study comprised 647 female <FONT FACE="Symbol">³</font>40 years old, Chagasic (n = 362) and Controls (n = 285) at a Brazilian University Hospital. Chagasic were classified as Cardiac (n = 179), Megas (n = 58) or Indeterminate (n = 125) clinical forms. Headache was ascertained according to Headache International Society diagnostic criteria. The age (57.0 ± 11.3 versus 57.3 ± 10.4 years), and the percentage of white women (75.8% versus 77.1%) were similar between Chagasic and Controls, respectively. Headache was more prevalent among Chagasic (32.9%) than Controls (16.1%), mainly in Cardiac form (odds ratio, 2.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.38-4.23), phenomenon possibly related to parasympathetic denervation and cerebral vessels changes.

The global burden of migraine: measuring disability in headache disorders with WHO's Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)

“…Nevertheless, recent studies from Brazil, Chile and Ecuador show that headache is highly prevalent in these countries and imposes a large economic burden on healthcare systems stretched to their limits. As in developed countries, migraine and chronic tension-type headache are the most common subtypes of headache disorders in South America [32][33][34][35][36]. Tekle Haimanot reported that "literature on prevalence and health burden in Africa is scanty" [37].…”

Headache * Commentary: Headache in South America

“…Other studies have shown that some parasitic diseases of the nervous system, such as neurocysticercosis (figure) or Chagas' disease, may also account for the high prevalence of chronic headache in these areas. 5 6 Medication overuse headache has not been investigated in South America, but it may be high in countries where most people self medicate for common diseases and potent analgesics can be obtained at the pharmacy without prescription.…”