{
  "abstract": "Background: Headache is a common comorbidity of epilepsy and is closely associated with the poor prognosis of epilepsy. Resection surgery of the epileptogenic focus is an effective treatment method for drug-resistant focal epilepsy (DRFE). However, the relationship between headache and surgical outcomes remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of comorbid headache and its characteristics on short-term surgical outcomes in DRFE.\n\nMethods: DRFE patients undergoing resection surgery were consecutively enrolled and followed up for at least one year after surgery. Seizure-free rate within 1 year after surgery was compared between the headache and non-headache groups. Subgroup analysis was performed within the headache group to compare headache characteristics between patients who were seizure-free and those who experienced seizures within 1 year after surgery.\n\nResults: A total of 103 DRFE patients were enrolled, among whom 46 (44.7%) had comorbid headache. Of the 46 patients, 23 experienced unilateral headache, and in 22 of these 23 patients (22/23, 95.7%), the headache side was ipsilateral to the epileptogenic focus. The difference in the seizure-free rate within 1 year after surgery between the headache and non-headache groups was not statistically significant (78.3% vs. 73.7%, p = 0.590). Among DRFE patients with comorbid headache, compared with the seizure within 1 year after surgery group, unilateral headache was significantly more frequent (58.3% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.032), and the mean preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score was significantly lower (5.50 ± 2.171 vs. 7.60 ± 1.578, p = 0.007) in the seizure-free within 1 year after surgery group. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that unilateral headache was independently associated with higher odds of seizure-free within 1 year after surgery (OR = 1.854, 95% CI 1.112–3.092, p = 0.018), whereas the preoperative VAS score was independently associated with lower odds of seizure-free within 1 year after surgery (OR = 0.136, 95% CI 0.020–0.923, p = 0.041).\n\nConclusion: Comorbid headache does not significantly affect short-term surgical outcomes in DRFE patients. However, for DRFE patients with comorbid headache, unilateral headache or a lower preoperative VAS score may serve as potential clinical indicators for favorable short-term surgical outcomes.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University",
    "Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University",
    "Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Wenchao Cheng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Aochen Shi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Maiqi Du"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yunqing Ma"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yuhan Wang"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Hongliang Jiao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jiefeng Geng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yajun Lian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Yi Tian"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        2
      ],
      "name": "Xiaolei Lian"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fjm28y825724z.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fneur.2026.1964217",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2026.1964217/full",
  "id": "fjm28y825724z",
  "issns": [
    "1664-2295"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2026.1964217/full",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "RC346-429"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2738|Epilepsy research and treatment"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223295567",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2026.1964217/pdf",
  "pmcid": "PMC13739524",
  "pmid": "42996172",
  "published": "2026-10-23",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fjm28y825724z.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:16Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fneur.2026.1964217",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2026.1964217/full"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2738|Epilepsy research and treatment",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
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  ],
  "title": "The impact of comorbid headache on surgical outcomes in drug-resistant focal epilepsy",
  "title_text": "The impact of comorbid headache on surgical outcomes in drug-resistant focal epilepsy",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T15:20:34Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fjm28y825724z",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Neurology",
  "versions": []
}