Pooled headache outcomes after endovascular coiling or flow diversion for unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

In a meta-analysis of nineteen studies and 2142 patients, 30.2% (95% CI 19.4-43.6) of previously headache-free patients developed new headache after endovascular treatment of an unruptured intracranial aneurysm; 71.4% with pre-existing headache improved, and 5.6% worsened.

• No statistically significant difference was found between flow-diverter and coiling cohorts, but comparisons were limited by few flow-diverter studies and predominantly indirect comparisons.
• De-novo headache was more frequent when assessed within six weeks than when persistence beyond three months was required (36.7% vs 22.6%; meta-regression p=0.025).
• Heterogeneity was high (I2=80% for de-novo headache), and the available data are insufficient to establish whether flow diverters and coils differ in headache outcomes.

Automated summary

RadPigeon summaries are original and for information only. They are not clinical advice.