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Headache, eating disorders, PTSD, and comorbidity: implications for assessment and treatment

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia and Obesity volume 27, pages 2693–2700 (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose

Severe headaches (HAs) have been associated with eating disorders (ED) as well as with trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression and anxiety. However, data addressing all of these factors in the same subjects are limited.

Methods

In a large sample of patients (n = 1461, 93% female) admitted to residential treatment (RT) for an ED, we assessed within 48–72 h of admission subjective reports of frequent HAs and their associations with severity of ED, PTSD, major depressive and state–trait anxiety symptoms, as well as quality of life measures. HA ratings were significantly correlated to the number of lifetime trauma types as well as to symptoms of PTSD, major depression, and state–trait anxiety.

Results

Results indicated that 39% of patients endorsed that frequent HAs occurred “often” or “always” (HA+) in association with their eating or weight issues. This HA-positive (HA+) group had statistically significant higher numbers of lifetime trauma types, higher scores on measures of ED, PTSD, major depressive, and state–trait anxiety symptoms, and worse quality of life measures (p ≤ 0.001) in comparison to the HA-negative (HA−) group, who endorsed that frequent HAs occurred “never,” “rarely,” or “sometimes” in association with their eating or weight issues. The HA + group also had a significantly higher rate of a provisional PTSD diagnosis (64%) than the HA− group (35%) (p ≤ .001). Following comprehensive RT, HA frequency significantly improved (p ≤ .001).

Conclusion

These findings have important implications for the assessment and treatment of HAs in the context of ED, PTSD and related psychiatric comorbidities, especially at higher levels of care. In addition, the importance of identifying traumatic histories and treating comorbid PTSD and related psychopathology in individuals presenting with severe HAs is emphasized.

Level of evidence

III Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.

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Fig. 1

Data availability

Data are proprietary and not available.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Monte Nido and Affiliates (MNA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

    Timothy D. Brewerton

  2. Timothy D. Brewerton, MD, LLC, Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA

    Timothy D. Brewerton

  3. Monte Nido and Affiliates, Miami, FL, USA

    Timothy D. Brewerton, Molly M. Perlman, Ismael Gavidia, Giulia Suro & Joel Jahraus

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Molly M. Perlman

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  1. Timothy D. Brewerton
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  2. Molly M. Perlman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Timothy D. Brewerton.

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Conflict of interest

Timothy D. Brewerton is a paid, independent consultant for MNA. Molly Perlman, Ismael Gavidia, Giulia Suro, and Joel Jahraus are all employees of MNA.

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This study was approved by the Salus Institutional Review Board.

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All participants gave written informed consent and were deidentified prior to analysis of data.

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Brewerton, T.D., Perlman, M.M., Gavidia, I. et al. Headache, eating disorders, PTSD, and comorbidity: implications for assessment and treatment. Eat Weight Disord 27, 2693–2700 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-022-01414-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-022-01414-6

Keywords

  • Eating disorders
  • Headache
  • Trauma
  • PTSD
  • Depression
  • Comorbidity