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The relationship between body mass index and cerebrospinal fluid pressure in children with pseudotumor cerebri
Yakup Çağ1, Safiye Güneş Sağer2, Merve Akçay3
1Department of Pediatrics, University of Health Sciences, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, Istanbul, Türkiye. yakupcag@hotmail.com.
Insights
Childhood obesity is linked to higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure in pediatric patients with Pseudotumor Cerebri (PTC). Managing weight through diet and exercise may help treat PTC in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Obesity Research
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a significant global health issue.
- Obesity is associated with serious health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
- Obesity is a known risk factor for Pseudotumor Cerebri (PTC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure in children diagnosed with PTC.
- To analyze clinical and laboratory findings in relation to BMI and CSF pressure.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 48 pediatric patients (<18 years) diagnosed with PTC.
- Utilized national BMI percentile curves for patient assessment.
- Statistically analyzed the correlation between BMI, clinical data, laboratory results, and CSF pressure.
Main Results:
- Over 40% of the pediatric PTC patients were overweight or obese.
- Overweight and obese children exhibited significantly higher CSF pressure compared to normal-weight peers (p<0.05).
- A significant positive correlation was found between BMI and CSF pressure, as well as between monocyte count and CSF pressure (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
- A direct relationship exists between CSF pressure and BMI in pediatric PTC patients.
- Weight management strategies, including diet, exercise, and medical treatment, are crucial for managing PTC in overweight/obese children.
- CSF pressure is also significantly correlated with monocyte levels in this patient group.
Background:
Childhood obesity has become a major global health problem. Obesity is associated with major health problems, such as diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease. Obesity is also considered a risk factor for Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC). The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure in patients with pseudotumor cerebri.
Methods:
A total of 48 children diagnosed with PTC, who were aged < 18 years and followed up in the pediatric clinic were included in the retrospective study. National BMI percentile curves were used for reference. We investigated statistically the relationship between BMI, clinical and laboratory results, and CSF pressure in patients.
Results:
Of total patients 27 were female (56.25%) and 21 were male (43.75%). With regard to the BMI percentile, 20 (41.67%) were overweight or obese. CSF pressure was higher in overweight and obese patients compared to children with BMI in normal ranges (p < 0.05). A statistically significant positive correlation was also observed between BMI and CSF pressure values and between monocyte and CSF values (p < 0.05).
Conclusions:
The results of the present study indicate a direct relationship between CSF pressure and BMI in children with PTC. Appropriate diet, exercise, and medical treatment in overweight and obese children can make a significant contribution to the treatment of PTC. Additionally, a significant correlation was observed between CSF pressure and monocyte levels.
