Headache in the neurology clinic: a 2-year audit.

BACKGROUND

Headache is the most common reason for referral to neurology outpatient clinics in Ireland and represents approximately 30% of all new appointments.

AIM: To evaluate diagnoses and outcomes of all patients newly referred with headache to a consultant neurologist at an Irish university teaching hospital over a 2-year period.

DESIGN

A retrospective analysis and audit.

METHODS

Data including patient demographics, red flags, investigations, diagnosis, and outcome were collected on consecutive patients newly referred with headache to a consultant neurologist's outpatient clinic over a 2-year period.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seventy patients with headache were seen; 75% were women with mean age of 39 years. 89.26% (241/270) were diagnosed with a primary headache disorder alone; 4.44% (12/270) with a secondary headache disorder alone; 3.33% (9/270) with both a primary and secondary headache disorders; and 2.96% (8/270) with a painful cranial neuropathy. Migraine was the most common diagnosis, frequently associated with medication overuse. Non-attendance rates were high. Although imaging abnormalities were frequently found, on no occasion was it thought to be the cause of the headache.

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients referred to a neurology outpatient clinic with headache have a primary headache disorder. Alternate pathways should be considered to reduce the burden on Ireland's limited neurology resources without compromising patient safety.