IMPACT ON PRE-EXISTING AND CHARACTERISTICS OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE AND HEADACHE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) identified the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) as a global pandemic in March 2020. Objectives: The main objective of the study is to analyse the impact on pre-existing and characteristics of coronavirus disease and headache. Material and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Punjab Health Department during 2019 to 2020. Adult patients aged 18–65 years of both gender who were reviewed in the headache clinic within 3 months after the onset of their COVID-19. Infection with COVID-19 was confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique from material collected by nasal and oropharynx swab. Results: A total of 121 patients with headache after recovery from COVID-19 were reviewed.  Table 1 presents the Clinical and demographic characteristics of the cohort. Eighty-seven patients aged 40 years or younger. 89 (73.6%) reported primary headache disorders prior to COVID-19, 78 (64.5%) experienced migraine and 11 (9.1%) diagnosed as tension-type head- ache. 32 (26.4%) reported de novo headache post COVID-19. Conclusion: It is concluded that COVID-19 pandemic has a characteristic effect on the course of headaches in individuals with and without pre-existing primary headache disorders.