Clinical and polysomnographic characteristics in patients with morning headache

Background: The relation between headaches and sleep disorders are complex and heavily questioned. However, there is still controversy about this interrelationship. Objective: To describe the clinical and polysomnographic characteristics of patients with morning headache, and to compare them with patients without morning headaches. Methods: Prospective study between April and August 2009. One hundred and eight patients were included consecutively and by convenience. All patients were submitted to polysomnography and were distributed in the group with headache (group 1) or the group without headache (group 2). Results: Morning headache was reported by 33 (30.6%) patients, 17 (51.5%, p = 0.02) women. The clinical characteristics in the group of morning headache were 42.4% with disease in upper respiratory system, 72.7% with anxiety, 45% with headache in general, 54% with neurocognitive symptoms, 81.2% reported non restorative sleep and 60.6% had insomnia (all p< 0.05). Among the polysomnographic features surveyed, the only variable that showed statistical significance was wake after sleep onset. Almost 43% (vs. 20%) of patients with morning headaches were in normal range. Conclusions: It was not possible to conclude that the presence of the increase apnea/hypopnea indices, desaturation relevant and intermittent and disruption of sleep patterns are sufficient to modulate, by itself, the occurrence of morning headaches. Sleep disorders can act as a trigger for morning headaches in susceptible individuals with specific clinical profile