Asymptomatic idiopathic intracranial hypertension in children.
OBJECTIVE
To define characteristics of pediatric asymptomatic idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed our Neuro-Ophthalmology database (2000-2006) for all cases of symptomatic and asymptomatic pediatric IIH.


RESULTS
Out of 45 IIH cases, 14 (31.1%) were asymptomatic (incidental examination). When compared with children with symptomatic IIH, asymptomatic cases were younger [5.6 (1.8-15) vs 11.0 (5-17) years, P = 0.007], had lower percentage of obesity (14.3% vs 48.4%, P = 0.046), and had male predominance (71.4% vs 38.7%, P = 0.06). Asymptomatic cases required shorter duration of acetazolamide treatment [3 (0-8), vs 6 (0-20) months, P = 0.021], and resulted in complete resolution of swollen discs.


CONCLUSIONS
We speculate that asymptomatic IIH may be more common in young children and could represent a milder form or a presymptomatic phase before evolving into classic symptomatic IIH. Further studies to assess the clinical significance of asymptomatic IIH are warranted.
Bassan
H
H
Pediatric Neurology Unit, 'Dana' Children's Hospital, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Berkner
L
L
Stolovitch
C
C
Kesler
A
A
D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011559:Pseudotumor Cerebri / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D004232:Diuretics; D000086:Acetazolamide