Sex distribution and frequency of obesity in children with idiopathic intracranial hypertension were evaluated at Meyer Children Hospital, Rappaport School of Medicine, Haifa, and other centers in Israel. Meta-analysis was conducted in 244 patients reported since 1997; 132 (54%) were younger than 11 years of age and 112 were age 12-17 years. Females were 44% in the younger group and 70% in the older group. Obesity was present in 26% of younger and in 64% of older patients. Differences in age at presentation, sex, and obesity were statistically significant (P<0.01). Sex and obesity were independent variables. [1]
COMMENT. These results in a large series of patients confirm previous findings of differences in age, sex, and obesity in children and adolescents with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Older patients have higher rates of females affected and of obesity. Intracranial hypertension in younger patients may have a different mechanism, no female sex preponderance, and no increased frequency of obesity, when compared to adolescent patients.