The HIT-6 Questionnaire Corresponds to the PedMIDAS for Assessment of Pediatric Headaches

Objective: The aim of our study was to compare two questionnaires regarding their ability to globally assess the impact of headaches on daily functioning in children as a primary endpoint and, secondarily, to evaluate their correlation to frequency and headache strength. Background: Headache is a common complaint in children and adolescents, leading to functional impairment. The impact of primary headaches, such as migraine and tension-type headaches, varies according to pain severity and frequency. Although the PedMIDAS questionnaire is a validated tool for assessing headache-related impact in children, it can be difficult for children to complete. The HIT-6 questionnaire is user-friendly but has been validated exclusively for use in adults. Methods: Our method involved a prospective cohort study in children aged 6–18 years who visited the headache clinic at Bnai Zion Medical Center due to primary headaches. All children filled in both the PedMIDAS and HIT-6. Data on headache diagnosis, frequency and intensity along with demographic data were obtained. Results: Of the 100 children participating, 96 completed both questionnaires. The final sample was 66% (63) female, and the average age was 14 years (±3.3). Migraine was reported by 62% (60), followed by tension-type headaches (18%) and mixed headache (15%). A weak positive spearman correlation was observed between PedMIDAS and HIT-6 scores to age (respectively, ρ 0.3 with p value < 0.005, and ρ 0.2 with p value < 0.05), a weak positive spearman correlation as well between the HIT-6 score and both disease duration and headache intensity (respectively, ρ 0.221 with p value < 0.05 and ρ 0.250 with p value < 0.05). PedMIDAS score was weakly positively correlated to headache frequency (ρ 0.27 with p value < 0.05). A moderately positive spearman correlation was found between the PedMIDAS and HIT scores with ρ 0.6 and p value < 0.005. Linear regression analysis revealed a stronger correlation with headache frequency for the HIT-6 than for the PedMIDAS, when adjusted to gender and headache type. Conclusions: The HIT-6 questionnaire correlates with the PedMIDAS questionnaire and can serve as a good alternative for easily evaluating headache burden in children.