Idiopathic intracranial hypertension confers CVD risk in women

Among women aged 16 years or older, idiopathic intracranial hypertension was associated with a twofold elevated risk for CVD, researchers reported.

The researchers analyzed female participants aged 16 years or older from THIN, a medical records database in the United Kingdom. The cohort (mean age, 32 years) included 2,760 women with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and 27,125 matched controls without the condition. Obesity was prevalent in 62.6% of the IIH group and 60.9% of the control group.

Incidence of IIH rose from 2.5 per 100,000 patient-years in 2005 to 9.3 per 100,000 patient-years in 2017, whereas prevalence of IIH increased from 26 per 100,000 women in 2005 to 79 per 100,000 women in 2017, Nicola J. Adderley, PhD, from the Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, and colleagues wrote.

At a median of 3.5 years, the IIH group had elevated risk for the following conditions compared with controls:

a composite of CV events (adjusted HR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.61-2.74);

HF (aHR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.16-3.37);

ischemic heart disease (aHR = 1.94; 95% CI, 1.27-2.94);

stroke/transient ischemic attack (aHR = 2.27; 95% CI, 1.61-3.21);

type 2 diabetes (aHR = 1.3; 95% CI, 1.07-1.57); and

hypertension (aHR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.3-1.84).

Among women aged 16 years or older, idiopathic intracranial hypertension was associated with a twofold elevated risk for CVD, researchers reported.

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“The elevated risk of CVD is over and above that expected from obesity alone, suggesting additional systemic metabolic factors unique to IIH,” Adderley and colleagues wrote. “Absolute risk in IIH remains low but is important to know given the rising incidence of this condition and the relatively young age of the patients with IIH diagnosis, which provides an opportunity for intervention. A step change in clinical practice to include assessment and management of cardiovascular risk in IIH is likely to be advantageous in efforts to improve long-term health outcomes for patients and warrants further evaluation.” – by Erik Swain

Disclosures: Adderley reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Adderley NJ, et al. JAMA Neurol. 2019;doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2019.1812.