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Table 1 Major characteristics of published series on primary cough headache

From: Headache associated with cough: a review

First author, Year [Reference]

Nr of Cases

Patient characteristics

Headache characteristics

  

M/F ratio

Mean age

Intensity & type

Other triggers

Duration

Location

Frequency

Persistence

Associated features

Symonds, 1956 [5]

21

18/3

55

severe bursting

Valsalva maneuver, head rotation

2’-10’

bilateral

-

18 months- 3 years

-

Pascual,1996 [13]

13

10/3

67

moderate to severe sharp, stabbing

Valsalva manoeuver

seconds to less than 30’

bilateral (92%) unilateral (8%)

one to several daily

2-24 months

none

Ozge, 2005 [9]

20

13/7

45

moderate to severe sharp, stabbing

not mentioned or no other triggers?

1-30’

bilateral (90%) unilateral (10%)

10 days/month

-

nausea (5%) dizziness (10%)

Pascual, 2008 [11]

28

10/18

60

electrical, explosive, pressing or having a mixed nature

sudden postural movements, weight lifting, laughing and defecating

seconds to more than 1’

unilateral (50%) bilateral (39%) occipito-suboccipital (11%)

-

1-42 months

dizziness (14%)

Chen, 2009 [3]

74

54/20

61

mild to severe explosive, dull, pulsatile

straining at stool and bending down

1” - 2 hours

bilateral (67%) unilateral (33%)

-

6-24 months

nausea (10%) vomiting (1%) photophobia (5%) phonophobia (11%)