Keywords
brain neoplasms
headache disorders
primary
secondary
emergencies
How to Cite
Abstract
Headache is one of the main symptoms of consultation in the emergency department, on average 1.2 - 4.5% of all queries. Objective: To determine the clinical factors associated with the presence of brain neoplasms in patients presenting with headache. Methodology: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Case was defined as each patient with headache and radiographical evidence by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain neoplasms and controls were patients with headache without radiographical evidence (CT or MRI) of brain neoplasms and meeting diagnostic criteria for primary headache. A sample size of 272 patients (62 cases and 210 controls) was determined. To determine factors associated with outcome analysis binary logistic regression was performed, including the plausible variables with p<0.2 in the bivariate analysis and those biologically plausible. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and their respective confidence intervals were calculated. A p<0.5 was considered significant.
Conclusions: Despite the limitations of the study, it was found that the variables mentioned above are signs of predictive alarm in the presence of secondary headache to brain neoplasms and are of great importance in the primary evaluation of any patient who complains of headache in service emergency as they can guide the physician for decision making.
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