Obesity may not be a risk factor for idiopathic intracranial hypertension in Asians

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a clinical condition characterized by signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. We demonstrated the clinical presentation of IIH of Asians and investigated any ethnic difference in pathogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten patients who fulfilled the modified Dandy criteria and four with presumed diagnosis for IIH were included. Only one patient (7.1%) was obese according to body mass index, seven were overweight, and six weighed normal. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was not frequently found in Caucasians with IIH. This data indirectly suggest that obesity may not play a major role in the pathogenesis of IIH in Asians. Awareness of this is helpful in early diagnosis and treatment of IIH in Asians.