Headaches and facial pain attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination: a systematic review

Other authors

Institut Català de la Salut

[Mitsikostas DDD] Neurology Department, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. [Caronna E, Pozo-Rosich P] Unitat de Cefalees, Servei de Neurologia, Vall d’Hebron Hospital Universitari, Barcelona, Spain. Grup de Recerca de Cefalea i Dolor Neurològic, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain. Departament de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain. [De Tommaso M] Neurophysiopathology Unit, DiBrain Department, Aldo Moro University, Bari, Italy. [Deligianni CI] Athens Naval Hospital, Athens, Greece. [Ekizoglu E] Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey. [Bolay H] Department of Neurology and Algology, NÖROM, Gazi University Ankara, Ankara, Turkey

Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus

Publication date

2024-05-22T06:48:53Z

2024-05-22T06:48:53Z

2024-06



Abstract

Chronic daily headache; Headache; Neurological disorders


Cefalea crònica diària; Mal de cap; Trastorns neurològics


Cefalea crónica diaria; Dolor de cabeza; Trastornos neurológicos


Background and purpose The aim was to provide insights to the characteristics of headache in the context of COVID-19 on behalf of the Headache Scientific Panel and the Neuro-COVID-19 Task Force of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the European Headache Federation (EHF). Methods Following the Delphi method the Task Force identified six relevant questions and then conducted a systematic literature review to provide evidence-based answers and suggest specific diagnostic criteria. Results No data for facial pain were identified in the literature search. (1) Headache incidence during acute COVID-19 varies considerably, with higher prevalence rates in prospective compared to retrospective studies (28.9%–74.6% vs. 6.5%–34.0%). (2) Acute COVID-19 headache is usually bilateral or holocranial and often moderate to severe with throbbing pain quality lasting 2–14 days after first signs of COVID-19; photo-phonophobia, nausea, anosmia and ageusia are common associated features; persistent headache shares similar clinical characteristics. (3) Acute COVID-19 headache is presumably caused by immune-mediated mechanisms that activate the trigeminovascular system. (4) Headache occurs in 13.3%–76.9% following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and occurs more often amongst women with a pre-existing primary headache; the risk of developing headache is higher with the adenoviral-vector-type vaccines than with other preparations. (5) Headache related to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is mostly bilateral, and throbbing, pressing, jolting or stabbing. (6) No studies have been conducted investigating the underlying mechanism of headache attributed to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Conclusion The results of this joint EAN/EHF initiative provide a framework for a better understanding of headache in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination.

Document Type

Article


Published version

Language

English

Publisher

Wiley Open Access

Related items

European Journal of Neurology;31(6)

https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.16251

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Attribution 4.0 International

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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