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This article, published in the journal Neuropediatrics, examines the prevalence of primary headache types and their impact on the quality of life in children with epilepsy. The study involved 119 children with epilepsy, and it found that 38.7% of them reported suffering from headaches. Of those with headaches, 34.8% had migraine, 19.6% had tension-type headache, and 45.7% had not classifiable headache. Female epilepsy patients were more likely to be affected by headaches than male patients. The study also found that patients with headaches had lower quality of life compared to those without headaches. Overall, the findings suggest that headache is common among children with epilepsy and can negatively impact their quality of life. [Extracted from the article]

Headache is a frequent comorbidity in patients with epilepsy. Data are sparse regarding the distribution of headache types in children with epilepsy (CWE). We aimed to assess the prevalence of primary headache types and their influence on health-related quality of life (QoL) in CWE. CWE filled out a validated headache questionnaire to assess migraine (MIG), tension-type headache (TTH), trigeminal-autonomic cephalalgia (TAC), or, if the criteria were not fulfilled, non-classifiable headache (NCH). QoL was measured using both patient and parent versions of a validated questionnaire. Of 119 CWE (59 female; 11.5 ± 3.1 y), headache was found in 46 (38.7%). Sixteen (34.8%) patients showed MIG, 9 (19.6%) patients TTH, and 21 (45.7%) patients described NCH. More girls reported headache ( χ 2 = 5.4, p = 0.02) when compared to boys. Overall, QoL was reduced in patients with headache from both the patients' and parents' points of view (70.8% [39.6; 87.5] vs. 77.0% [46.9; 95.8], p = 0.002; 71,9% [33.3; 87.5] vs. 78,1% [54.2; 95.8], p = 0.003). Headache is common among CWE with MIG as the most prevalent primary headache type and higher rates in female patients. Importantly, patients and their parents perceive a reduced overall QoL when suffering from headache.