Idiopathic intracranial hypertension rapidly increasing with obesity epidemic in US

ByMichela Cimberle

Fact checked byChristine Klimanskis, ELS

Key takeaways:

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension has grown substantially in the U.S., particularly among young people and Black individuals.
The condition is projected to increase with the obesity epidemic.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension has grown substantially in the U.S. over the last 7 years, especially among young people, disproportionately affecting Black individuals.

In a study presented in a poster at the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society meeting, Jacqueline K. Shaia, MS, and co-authors examined the data of the TriNetX registry, a national cross-sectional database with more than 85 million Americans. Prevalence of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) was evaluated from 2015 to 2022 and stratified by age, race and sex.

Eye and brain — Idiopathic intracranial hypertension has grown substantially in the U.S. over the last 7 years, especially among young people, disproportionately affecting Black individuals.
*Image: Adobe Stock*

IIH prevalence increased from 7 to 10 individuals per 100,000, with 2,077 cases in 2022 as compared with 1,151 in 2015. Black individuals had the highest prevalence over the years, with a peak of 16 out of 100,000 in 2021. When stratified by age, the largest increase was reported in individuals between the ages of 11 and 35 years, while the 18- to 25-year-old group also experienced large growth. Female patients had an increase of +4 per 100,000 in 2022.

IIH is a vision-threatening, life-long and costly condition mainly affecting women with overweight who are of reproductive age. It is associated with increased risk for depression and anxiety, with a six times higher rate of suicidality. The annual costs related to IIH in the U.S. are $444 million, the authors reported.

“With the increasing rates of obesity predicted to increase rates of IIH, it is imperative to understand how IIH prevalence has changed and this impact on minority communities,” they wrote.

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Source:

Shaia JK, et al. The prevalence of IIH and its racial disparities among millions of Americans. Presented at: North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society meeting; March 11-16, 2023; Orlando, Florida.

Disclosures: The authors report that the project was supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative, Research to Prevent Blindness Challenge Grant and NIH T32.

North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society

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Idiopathic intracranial hypertension rapidly increasing with obesity epidemic in US

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