Headache Among Patients With HIV Disease: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Associations

Abstract

Problematic headache is highly prevalent among patients with HIV/AIDS, most of which conform to the semiology of chronic migraine, although with some atypical features such as bilateral location and pressing/tightening quality. A low frequency of identifiable secondary causes is likely attributable to reduced frequency of opportunistic infections in the current era of HAART. Disease severity is strongly predictive of headache, highlighting the importance of physician attention to headache symptoms and of patient adherence to treatment.

Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Headache in Patients WithHIV

“…Kirkland et al conducted a study of 200 HIV/AIDS patients between December 2009 and June 2010 . Characterizing secondary causes of headaches in an era prior to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was a limitation in prior studies.…”

Headache in an HIV positive patient: diagnostic challenges and approach to treatment

“…A study of 200 patients with HIV found 53% reported headache symptoms, with 95% of these attributable to a primary headache syndrome (migraine or tension headache). 5 A detailed history, careful examination and thorough initial investigation, with a high index of suspicion for rare but serious causes are therefore essential for the assessment of a HIV positive patient presenting with headache. A 2012 Cochrane review 6 of venous sinus thrombosis management concluded that anticoagulation was safe and could potentially reduce the risk of death or dependency.…”

Manifestaciones Neurológicas en Pacientes Ambulatorios con Diagnóstico de VIH Atendidos en el Hospital Carlos Andrade Marín.

“…La cefalea es el dolor más común en los portadores del VIH, siendo las formas primarias más frecuentes, y menos comunes las asociadas a infecciones oportunistas, propias al VIH y los fármacos antirretrovirales [13]. En el estudio realizado por Kirkland y cols., las cefaleas primarias afectaron al 54% y las secundarias al 2%; hallazgos que en el presente estudio fueron diferentes [14,15].…”