Abstract

Background
The lost to follow-up is frequent among the patients w ith headache, but the extent or the reasons is unknown. To determine the frequency and the reason for the loss to follow-up, and to further evaluate the clinical course of headache w ithout m edication. Objects and M ethod s: Consecutive patients w ith headache visited the headache clinic in SNU H ospital w ere retros-pectively analyzed. Lost to the follow-up (LF) is determined w ho didn't m ake a re-visit following the prescription. Demographic characteristics, headache subtypes, and the reasons for the w ithdraw al w ere recorded by m edical record or telephone survey.
Results
1,090 patients w ith LF w ere evaluated (61.4% ). Sex ratio w as not different between LF group and follow-up group (men 24.0% , women 76.0% for LF). A ge distribution shows two folds higher in 20s and 30s when compared to follow-up group (5.6% 20s, 12.1% 30s for LF; 3.1% 20s, 6.4% 30s for follow-up). M igraine w as 17.6 times higher than the patients w ith tension type headache. The reasons for the LF were, ① improvem ent 35.8%, ② adverse event 12.0%, ③ no improvem ent 17.7% , ④ visit another hospital 5.0% , ⑤ etc 1.3% . Further analysis with the patients w ithout medications showed that ① headache aggravated 6.4% , ② stationary 45.4%, ③ improvement 23.3%, ④ unknown 24.9%.
Conclusions
Improvement is the m ost common reason for the LF. The outcom e w ithout m edication w as variable, suggesting it m ust be considered at a clinical research analysis. Korean Journal of Headache 7(1):37-40, 2006