SynthesisEuropean journal of neurology2021
Headache as an acute and post-COVID-19 symptom in COVID-19 survivors: A meta-analysis of the current literature.
Synthesis in European journal of neurology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 75 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
75 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 149 citations in OpenAlex.
- Treatment suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic and mental health of infertile patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Genetic overlap and causality between COVID-19 and multi-site chronic pain: the importance of immunity.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Pooled it
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of neuropathic pain associated with coronavirus disease 2019.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2023Pooled it
- What are the long-term holistic health consequences of COVID-19 among survivors? An umbrella systematic review.Journal of medical virology · 2022Pooled it
- Sequelae of COVID-19 among previously hospitalized patients up to 1 year after discharge: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Infection · 2022Pooled it
- Headache as an acute and post-COVID-19 symptom in COVID-19 survivors: A meta-analysis of the current literature.European journal of neurology · 2021Pooled it
- Aromatherapy blend of thyme, orange, clove bud, and frankincense boosts energy levels in post-COVID-19 female patients: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial.Complementary therapies in medicine · 2022Trial
- Neurological Manifestations of Long COVID: Current Evidence, Emerging Concepts, and Future Perspectives.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Review
- The Association of Headache and Physical Activity in Times of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- Characterising Pain in Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: An Observational Study of Intensity and Sensitivity.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Understanding the long-term neurological effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection.Nature reviews. Neurology · 2026Review
- Clinical Manifestations of Subjects with Long COVID and Their Associations with Drug Use: The BioICOPER Study.Biomedicines · 2026Article
- Exploring Alice in Wonderland syndrome in adults with persistent headache after COVID-19: a cross-sectional study in Latin America.BMC neurology · 2025Article
- Letter to the Editor: "Long-Term Persistent Headache After SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Follow-Up Population-Based Study".European journal of neurology · 2025Article
- Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Monoclonal Antibody Treatment in Nine Cases of Persistent Headache Following COVID-19-Infection.Journal of Korean medical science · 2025Article
- Post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection and neuropathic pain: a narrative review of the literature and future directions.Pain management · 2025Review
- Longitudinal Symptom Analysis of COVID-19 Survivors and Post-COVID Syndrome Patients.Biomedicines · 2025Article
- Brain Structural Abnormalities in Patients with Post-COVID-19 Headache.Neurology international · 2025Article
- Persistent Symptoms and Associated Risk Factors of COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study in Minia, Upper Egypt.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Residual cardiopulmonary manifestations following COVID-19: a Tanzanian ambispective study.BMJ public health · 2025Article
15 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundHeadache is identified as a common post-COVID sequela experienced by COVID-19 survivors. The aim of this pooled analysis was to synthesize the prevalence of post-COVID headache in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
methodsMEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases, as well as medRxiv and bioRxiv preprint servers, were searched up to 31 May 2021. Studies or preprints providing data on post-COVID headache were included. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Random effects models were used for meta-analytical pooled prevalence of post-COVID headache. Data synthesis was categorized at hospital admission/symptoms' onset, and at 30, 60, 90, and ≥180 days afterwards.
resultsFrom 9573 studies identified, 28 peer-reviewed studies and 7 preprints were included. The sample was 28,438 COVID-19 survivors (12,307 females; mean age: 46.6, SD: 17.45 years). The methodological quality was high in 45% of the studies. The overall prevalence of post-COVID headache was 47.1% (95% CI 35.8-58.6) at onset or hospital admission, 10.2% (95% CI 5.4-18.5) at 30 days, 16.5% (95% CI 5.6-39.7) at 60 days, 10.6% (95% CI 4.7-22.3) at 90 days, and 8.4% (95% CI 4.6-14.8) at ≥180 days after onset/hospital discharge. Headache as a symptom at the acute phase was more prevalent in non-hospitalized (57.97%) than in hospitalized (31.11%) patients. Time trend analysis showed a decreased prevalence from the acute symptoms' onset to all post-COVID follow-up periods which was maintained afterwards.
conclusionThis meta-analysis found that the prevalence of post-COVID headache ranged from 8% to 15% during the first 6 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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