Headache attributed to transient ischaemic attack: a prospective retrospective baseline study

Abstract Background: It is difficult to discriminate between headache attributed to transient ischaemic attack from migraine with aura. We studied the characteristics of headache-attributed transient ischaemic attacks to provide clinical evidence for the treatment of headache attributed to transient ischaemic attack.Methods: We performed a prospective study with a retrospective baseline evaluation of all patients with headaches attributed to transient ischaemic attack (22) during a three-year period. The demography, vascular risk factors and clinical information were collected. The following typical symptoms were evaluated by an ABCD2 score of 4 or greater. The headache characteristics were collected within a 24-hour interval after the onset of transient ischaemic attack.Results: Headache that is attributed to transient ischaemic attack accounted for 8.2% (22/269) of the patients with transient ischaemic attack. Headache attributed to transient ischemic attack was more common in women (68.2%, 15/22) and in posterior circulation of transient ischemic attack (59.1%,13/22). These types of headaches were similar to tension-type headache and included a bilateral location (72.7%, 16/22), a dull quality (72.7%, 16/22), and a moderate intensity (54.5%, 12/22).Conclusions:Our study showed that headache attributed to transient ischaemic attack was similar to a tension-type headache and was more common in women and in patients with posterior circulation transient ischaemic attacks.