The investigators examined the association of patient-related and headache-related parameters and the effect of medication overuse headache (MOH); the occurrence of depression, anxiety, and stress; and the importance of different domains of health-related quality of life in these associations.

Eighty-three patients (women, N=72, men, N=11; mean age, 40.54 years, SD=11.58), who were first diagnosed with MOH during the study period were included in the analyses. The Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), the 36-item Short-Form Survey (SF-36) Questionnaire for quality of life, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales were used.

The findings revealed mild depression, moderate anxiety, and stress, as well as changes in all examined health domains, in the study patients (p<0.05). Risk factors were identified for higher HIT-6 scores (role functioning/physical functioning [odds ratio=0.977, p=0.024] and social functioning [odds ratio=0.963, p=0.032]); for depression (emotional well-being [odds ratio=0.928, p=0.007], social functioning [odds ratio=0.950, p=0.009], and the presence of comorbidity [odds ratio=5.417, p=0.013]); for anxiety (age [odds ratio=1.091, p=0.007], MOH duration [odds ratio=1.422, p=0.047], emotional well-being [odds ratio=0.933, p=0.012], and social functioning [odds ratio=0.943, p=0.001]); and for stress (emotional well-being [odds ratio=0.902, p<0.001]).

MOH has a significant negative impact on the personal, family, and social life of patients and is associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Patients’ age, duration of MOH, presence of comorbidities, and adverse effects of physical, emotional, and social dysfunction are particularly important contributors to the negative effects of MOH.