Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition

Background and objectiveThe International Classification of Headache Disorders, Third Edition (ICHD-3), significantly influences clinicians’ understanding of headache disorders. In this study, we aim to elucidate how the hierarchical structure of ICHD-3 shapes the understanding of interconnectivity...

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Main Authors: Pengfei Zhang, Thomas Berk
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1526037/full
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author Pengfei Zhang
Thomas Berk
Thomas Berk
author_facet Pengfei Zhang
Thomas Berk
Thomas Berk
author_sort Pengfei Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Background and objectiveThe International Classification of Headache Disorders, Third Edition (ICHD-3), significantly influences clinicians’ understanding of headache disorders. In this study, we aim to elucidate how the hierarchical structure of ICHD-3 shapes the understanding of interconnectivity among headache disorders.MethodsA network comprises elements known as “nodes,” with the connections between them referred to as “edges.” In our study, a node represents a headache diagnosis that meets at least one ICHD-3 diagnostic criterion of the ICHD-3. We developed two network models for ICHD-3: a non-hierarchical model, where edges are only formed by cross-references found within the text of diagnoses, and a hierarchical model that incorporates the ICHD-3’s structural organization by adding extra edges between sections and their subsections. We identified the top 10 disorders in terms of their centrality, which assesses their popularity, their role as bridges in the network, and their proximity to other disorders. These measurements are calculated using the network’s degree, betweenness, and closeness centrality.ResultsBoth our models contain 387 nodes. The choice between a non-hierarchical or hierarchical model affects which diagnoses occupy the top 10 centrality nodes. In both models, migraine and medication-overuse headaches consistently rank among the top 10 diagnoses according to all three centrality metrics. The hierarchical model includes a greater number of secondary headache diagnoses among its top 10 compared to the non-hierarchical model.ConclusionMigraine and medication overuse headaches are the most interconnected nodes in ICHD-3. The addition of a diagnostic hierarchy facilitates the unification of secondary headaches, which would otherwise be considered isolated, miscellaneous diagnoses. When interconnected hierarchically, these secondary headache diagnoses become the majority of the most well-connected nodes in our field.
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spelling doaj-art-16ba0774f1cf4bd6971fc0e2a4dc156b2025-01-30T17:12:07ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952025-01-011610.3389/fneur.2025.15260371526037Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd editionPengfei Zhang0Thomas Berk1Thomas Berk2Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United StatesNeura Health, New York, NY, United StatesThomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, United StatesBackground and objectiveThe International Classification of Headache Disorders, Third Edition (ICHD-3), significantly influences clinicians’ understanding of headache disorders. In this study, we aim to elucidate how the hierarchical structure of ICHD-3 shapes the understanding of interconnectivity among headache disorders.MethodsA network comprises elements known as “nodes,” with the connections between them referred to as “edges.” In our study, a node represents a headache diagnosis that meets at least one ICHD-3 diagnostic criterion of the ICHD-3. We developed two network models for ICHD-3: a non-hierarchical model, where edges are only formed by cross-references found within the text of diagnoses, and a hierarchical model that incorporates the ICHD-3’s structural organization by adding extra edges between sections and their subsections. We identified the top 10 disorders in terms of their centrality, which assesses their popularity, their role as bridges in the network, and their proximity to other disorders. These measurements are calculated using the network’s degree, betweenness, and closeness centrality.ResultsBoth our models contain 387 nodes. The choice between a non-hierarchical or hierarchical model affects which diagnoses occupy the top 10 centrality nodes. In both models, migraine and medication-overuse headaches consistently rank among the top 10 diagnoses according to all three centrality metrics. The hierarchical model includes a greater number of secondary headache diagnoses among its top 10 compared to the non-hierarchical model.ConclusionMigraine and medication overuse headaches are the most interconnected nodes in ICHD-3. The addition of a diagnostic hierarchy facilitates the unification of secondary headaches, which would otherwise be considered isolated, miscellaneous diagnoses. When interconnected hierarchically, these secondary headache diagnoses become the majority of the most well-connected nodes in our field.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1526037/fullheadache classificationnetwork analysismigrainecentrality measuredisease classification
spellingShingle Pengfei Zhang
Thomas Berk
Thomas Berk
Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition
Frontiers in Neurology
headache classification
network analysis
migraine
centrality measure
disease classification
title Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition
title_full Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition
title_fullStr Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition
title_full_unstemmed Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition
title_short Network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders, 3rd edition
title_sort network analysis of headache diagnoses using international classification of headache disorders 3rd edition
topic headache classification
network analysis
migraine
centrality measure
disease classification
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2025.1526037/full
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