J.S. Bang

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Development of a headache after aneurysm coil embolization is not uncommon but has received little attention. The authors prospectively analyze the characteristics and risk factors of a headache after coiling in patients treated for an unruptured cerebral aneurysm. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety patients treated for an unruptured cerebral aneurysm over a period of 1 year, and without a headache history within a month before coiling, were enrolled in this study. All coilings were successfully performed without neurologic complications. After coiling, headache development and intensities were recorded. RESULTS: Fifty (55.6%) patients experienced a headache (VAS score, 4.5 2.02) at 7.9 (range, 0–72) hours, on average, after coiling, and all headaches resolved within an average of 73.0 (range, 3–312) hours. Univariate analysis showed that the following were significantly associated with the develop-ment of a headache: age 50 years (OR 4.636, 95 % CI, 1.414–15.198), hypertension (OR 0.232, 95% CI, 0.095–0.571), a packing attenuation of 25 % (OR 3.619, 95 % CI, 1.428–9.174), and a previous headache history (OR 2.769, 95 % CI, 1.120–6.849). However, binary logistic regression showed that only a packing attenuation of 25 % (P .013, adjusted OR 3.774, 95 % CI, 1.320–10.790) and no history of hypertension (P .019, adjusted OR 3.515, 95 % CI, 1.233–10.021) were independentl