title: Systemic parameters associated with cerebrospinal fluid pressure.
abstract: Low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Although little data currently exists, various systemic parameters may affect CSF pressure. CSF pressure increases with increased body mass index (BMI), which corroborates recent studies that have demonstrated elevated BMI may be protective of glaucoma. CSF pressure decreases with age, while the incidence of glaucoma increases with age. Blood pressure has been reported to influence CSF pressure in some studies but not others. Women appear to have a slightly lower CSF pressure than men and CSF pressure shows diurnal fluctuation, as do blood pressure and intraocular pressure. Additionally, postural changes likely alter CSF pressure near the optic nerve. Finally, many factors that may affect CSF pressure (such as medications, genetics, race, and others) have yet to be studied conclusively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Vance Thompson Vision, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Berdahl
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure