title: Prevalence and symptoms of intracranial arachnoid cysts: a population-based study.
abstract: To investigate the prevalence of intracranial arachnoid cysts in a large population-based sample. We also aimed to assess the association between arachnoid cysts and cognitive impairment, depression, epilepsy, headache, dizziness, previous head trauma, hip fractures, and mortality. A population-based cohort and nested case-control study. The sample comprised representative populations (n = 1235) aged ≥ 70 years. All participants underwent baseline neuropsychiatric examinations, including computed tomography (CT) of the brain, between 1986 and 2000. All CT scans were examined for arachnoid cysts. Headache, dizziness, history of head trauma, dementia, depression, epilepsy, and hip fracture were assessed using data from clinical examinations, interviews and the Swedish hospital discharge register. Cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental Status Examination, and depressive symptoms using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Date of death was obtained from the National Swedish Death Registry. The prevalence of arachnoid cysts was 2.3 % (n = 29), with no significant difference between men and women. Probands with and without cysts had the same frequency of headache, dizziness, previous head trauma, cognitive impairment, and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, there were no differences regarding the prevalence of dementia, depression, epilepsy, or previous hip fracture. Arachnoid cysts were not associated with increased mortality. Arachnoid cysts are common incidental finding, with the same rate in men and women, and are probably asymptomatic. The lack of relation with symptoms like headache, dizziness and cognitive impairment suggest caution in ascribing symptoms to incidentally discovered arachnoid cysts and a restrictive attitude to treatment.
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden. katrin.rabiei_tabriz@vgregion.se.|Department of Neurosurgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Blå Stråket 5, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden. katrin.rabiei_tabriz@vgregion.se.|Hydrocephalus Research Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden. katrin.rabiei_tabriz@vgregion.se.
authors: Katrin
authors: K
authors: Rabiei
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Hydrocephalus Research Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Centre for Health and Ageing, AGECAP, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Jaraj
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Centre for Health and Ageing, AGECAP, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Marlow
authors: Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Christer
authors: C
authors: Jensen
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Centre for Health and Ageing, AGECAP, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Ingmar
authors: I
authors: Skoog
authors: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg, Sweden.|Hydrocephalus Research Unit, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors: Carsten
authors: C
authors: Wikkelsø
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016080:Arachnoid Cysts / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Arachnoid cyst; Cognitive disturbance; Dizziness; Epilepsy; Headache; Prevalence