Profiles of Obesity, Weight Gain, and Quality of Life in Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (Pseudotumor Cerebri)

center dot PURPOSE: 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. center dot DESIGN: Matched case-control study. center dot METHODS: Female patients with newly diagnosed IIH (n = 34) and other neuroophthalmologic disorders (n = 4 1) 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]). center dot 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 HE 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 neuroophthalmologic disorders and published norms. center dot 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.