The Pre-Lumbar puncture Intracranial Hypertension Scale (PLIHS): A practical scale to identify subjects with normal cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the management of idiopathic intracranial hypertension

2021 ◽  
Vol 429 ◽  
pp. 118058
Author(s):  
Alberto Raggi ◽  
Stefania Bianchi Marzoli ◽  
Paola Ciasca ◽  
Gabriella Cammarata ◽  
Lisa Melzi ◽  
...  
Cephalalgia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 429-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils J Becker ◽  
Sören Enge ◽  
Katharina Maria Kreutz ◽  
Felix Schmidt ◽  
Lutz Harms ◽  
...  

Background A lumbar puncture constitutes an important diagnostic procedure in the evaluation of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Chronic overflow of cerebrospinal fluid into the sheaths of the olfactory nerves appears to be related to olfactory impairment in these patients. Here, we asked whether cerebrospinal fluid drainage in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients improves olfactory function. Methods Fourteen idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients and 14 neurologic control patients were investigated before and after lumbar puncture using the extended Sniffin’ Sticks procedure. We assessed odor threshold, discrimination, and identification. In idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients, cerebrospinal fluid was drained until cerebrospinal fluid pressure had normalized. In addition, a third group of 14 healthy controls participated in the two smell tests at similar intervals. Results Relative to healthy controls, threshold, discrimination, and identification composite scores before lumbar puncture were significantly lower in idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients and also in neurologic controls. Following lumbar puncture, threshold, discrimination, and identification scores for neurologic controls remained unchanged whereas idiopathic intracranial hypertension patients showed robust improvement on the composite score as well as on all three subscores (all changes: p < 0.003), quickly regaining olfactory function in the normal range. Cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure was significantly correlated with improvement in threshold, discrimination, and identification score upon cerebrospinal fluid drainage ( r = 0.609, p = 0.021). Conclusion Olfactory impairment is an important, yet underappreciated, clinical feature of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Lowering of increased intracranial pressure improves hyposmia. Our findings shed new light on the pathophysiology of cerebrospinal fluid circulation in idiopathic intracranial hypertension.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (13) ◽  
pp. 806-814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sama Boles ◽  
Claudia Martinez-Rios ◽  
Daniel Tibussek ◽  
Daniela Pohl

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension, or pseudotumor cerebri, is an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure of unknown etiology. It is mostly seen in adults, less frequently in adolescents, rarely in younger children. Only 5 infants meeting idiopathic intracranial hypertension criteria have been mentioned in the literature. We report a case of a previously healthy 9-month-old boy who presented with irritability, decreased appetite, and a bulging fontanelle. Computed tomography (CT) head imaging and cerebrospinal fluid studies revealed normal results. The patient’s symptoms transiently resolved after the initial lumbar puncture, but 11 days later, his fontanelle bulged again. A second lumbar puncture revealed an elevated opening pressure of 35 cmH2O and led to a diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in accordance with the modified Dandy Criteria. Treatment with acetazolamide at a dose of 25 mg/kg/d was initiated and the patient remained symptom-free for 6 weeks, followed by another relapse. His acetazolamide dose was increased to 37 mg/kg/d, with no further relapses to date. A diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension is challenging in infants, because the patients cannot yet verbalize typical idiopathic intracranial hypertension–related symptoms such as positional headaches, diplopia, or pulsatile tinnitus. Furthermore, it is more difficult to assess papilledema in that age group. If undetected and untreated, idiopathic intracranial hypertension may result in permanent visual deficits. Little is known about idiopathic intracranial hypertension in infants, and age-specific treatment guidelines are lacking. We discuss this rare case of infantile idiopathic intracranial hypertension and provide a review of the literature, including an overview of disease characteristics and outcomes of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in this very young age group.


BMC Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Fischbach ◽  
Anne Deborah Scholz-Hehn ◽  
Christian Gerloff ◽  
Monika Pötter-Nerger

Abstract Background Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is defined by an increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the absence of inflammation, structural obstructions, or mass lesions. Although the underlying pathogenesis of IIH is not fully understood, associations with specific risk factors as obesity, obstruction of cerebral venous sinuses, medications, endocrine or systemic conditions and chronic kidney disease have been described. Immune-complex glomerulonephritis as IgA-nephropathy is a frequent cause of chronic kidney failure, which was reported previously in one IIH patient. To date, there is no knowledge about the variable relation of immune-complex nephritis, kidney function and the course of IIH. Case presentation We report three cases (two females) of concurrent diagnosis of IIH and immune-complex glomerulonephritis. All patients presented with typical IIH symptoms of headache and visual disturbances. Two patients had been diagnosed with IgA-nephropathy only few weeks prior to IIH diagnosis. The third patient had been diagnosed earlier with terminal kidney failure due to a cryoglobulin glomerulonephritis. Conclusion We propose a possible link between renal deposition of immune-complexes and increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Pathophysiological hypotheses and clinical implications are discussed. We recommend clinical awareness and further systematic research to obtain more information on the association of IIH and immune-complex glomerulonephritis.


2021 ◽  
pp. 197140092110551
Author(s):  
Robert Heider ◽  
Peter G Kranz ◽  
Erin Hope Weant ◽  
Linda Gray ◽  
Timothy J Amrhein

Rationale and Objectives Accurate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure measurements are critical for diagnosis and treatment of pathologic processes involving the central nervous system. Measuring opening CSF pressure using an analog device takes several minutes, which can be burdensome in a busy practice. The purpose of this study was to compare accuracy of a digital pressure measurement device with analog manometry, the reference gold standard. Secondary purpose included an assessment of possible time savings. Materials and Methods This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional investigation of 71 patients who underwent image-guided lumbar puncture (LP) with opening CSF pressure measurement at a single institution from June 2019 to September 2019. Exclusion criteria were examinations without complete data for both the digital and analog measurements or without recorded needle gauge. All included LPs and CSF pressures were measured with the patient in the left lateral decubitus position, legs extended. Acquired data included (1) digital and analog CSF pressures and (2) time required to measure CSF pressure. Results A total of 56 procedures were analyzed in 55 patients. There was no significant difference in mean CSF pressures between devices: 22.5 cm H2O digitally vs 23.1 analog ( p = .7). Use of the digital manometer resulted in a time savings of 6 min (438 s analog vs 78 s digital, p < .001). Conclusion Cerebrospinal fluid pressure measurements obtained with digital manometry demonstrate comparable accuracy to the reference standard of analog manometry, with an average time savings of approximately 6 min per case.


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