Characterizing headache patients admitted from the emergency department: a retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Headaches are a common complaint in emergency department (ED) presentations, but the demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients admitted with headaches remain understudied. This retrospective study aims to investigate patients admitted with a chief complaint of headache. Methods: The study examined the triage database of our ED from 01/01/2020 to 31/12/2022 to identify patients admitted to either the wards or intensive care unit (ICU) with headache as their primary complaint. Results: Out of 347 identified patients, 100 met the inclusion criteria. The gender distribution was equal. The majority of cases (36%) were between 31 and 45 years old. Headache and dizziness were the most common complaints (54%), followed by chest pain (18%) and abdominal pain (10%). Neurological system involvement was observed in 60% of cases. Computed Tomography (CT) scans were performed in 87% of cases, while Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans were done in 45% of cases. Comorbidities such as central nervous system (CNS) diseases (40%) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (36%) were prevalent. The average length of stay in the ED before admission was 35.3 h. Conclusion: This study provides insights into the demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients admitted with headaches in the ED. The equal gender distribution and age distribution align with findings from other studies. The high utilization rate of CT scans suggests diagnostic uncertainty among emergency physicians. These findings contribute to the understanding of headache presentations in the ED and serve as a foundation for future research.