Presentation (CTI)

OBJECTIVES: Heatstroke represents the most severe form of heat-related illness, characterized by elevated core body temperature and central nervous system dysfunction. This study aims to investigate whether individuals who experience heatstroke have a higher long-term risk of being diagnosed with migraine or tension-type headache in subsequent years.
METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was based on data from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA), which contains drug prescriptions, diagnoses, and basic medical and demographic data obtained directly and in anonymous format from computer systems used in practices of general practitioners and specialists. The study included 5,794 individuals with a diagnosis of heatstroke and 28,970 propensity score matched individuals without heatstroke from 1,216 general practices in Germany between January 2005 and December 2023. The five-year cumulative incidence of migraine and tension-type headache was studied with Kaplan-Meier curves. Finally, an univariable Cox regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between heatstroke and migraine and tension-type headache.
RESULTS: After up to five years of follow-up, 8.8% of patients with heatstroke and 4.0% of matched non-heatstroke patients were diagnosed with migraine, whereas 3.0% of patients with and 1.5% without heatstroke patients were diagnosed with tension-type headache. In the regression analysis, heatstroke was significantly associated with an increased risk of migraine (HR: 2.26; 95% CI: 2.00-2.57) as well as tension-type headache (HR: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.69-2.57).
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights an important and previously underappreciated long-term consequence of heatstroke—namely, the increased risk of developing migraine and tension-type headache. As global temperatures continue to rise, public health strategies should not only focus on the acute prevention and management of heat-related illnesses but also consider their potential chronic neurological impact.