Profiles of obesity, weight gain, and quality of life in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri).
OBJECTIVE
Obesity and weight gain are known risk factors for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH; or pseudotumor cerebri). The authors examined profiles of body mass index (BMI) and patterns of weight gain associated with IIH. They also examined vision-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in newly diagnosed IIH patients and explored the relative contribution of obesity and weight gain to overall HRQOL in this disorder.


METHODS
Matched case-control study.


METHODS
Female patients with newly diagnosed IIH (n = 34) and other neuro-ophthalmologic disorders (n = 41) were enrolled in a case-control study to assess patterns of self-reported weight gain. The HRQOL was examined using the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and the SF-36 Health Survey (Physical Components Summary and Mental Components Summary [MCS]).


RESULTS
Higher BMIs were associated with greater risk of IIH (P = .003, logistic regression analysis adjusting for case-control matching), as were higher percentages of weight gain during the year before symptom onset (P = .004). Moderate weight gain (5% to 15%) was associated with a greater risk of IIH among both obese and nonobese patients. Obesity and weight gain influenced the relation between HRQOL and IIH only for subscale scores reflecting mental health (SF-36 MCS). The NEI-VFQ-25 and SF-36 subscale scores were lower in IIH compared with other neuro-ophthalmologic disorders and published norms.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of weight gain and BMI are associated with greater risk of IIH. Even nonobese patients (BMI <30) are at greater risk for IIH in the setting of moderate weight gain. Vision-specific and overall HRQOL are affected to a greater extent in IIH than in other neuro-ophthalmologic disorders.
Daniels
Anthony B
AB
Departments of Neurology and Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Liu
Grant T
GT
Volpe
Nicholas J
NJ
Galetta
Steven L
SL
Moster
Mark L
ML
Newman
Nancy J
NJ
Biousse
Valerie
V
Lee
Andrew G
AG
Wall
Michael
M
Kardon
Randy
R
Acierno
Marie D
MD
Corbett
James J
JJ
Maguire
Maureen G
MG
Balcer
Laura J
LJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015430:Weight Gain