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Prevalence and symptoms of incidental meningiomas: a population-based study
Eddie de Dios1,2, Olivia Näslund3,4, Mansor Choudhry5
1Department of Radiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. eddie.dedios@gmail.com.
Background:
Meningioma is the most common intracranial primary neoplasm and is often discovered accidentally. Common and non-specific symptoms such as headache and dizziness may be wrongfully attributed to meningiomas, which can lead to unnecessary surgery and anxiety for the patient. Understanding the prevalence of meningioma is therefore pivotal to assess the burden of this disease and determine indications for surgery.
Method:
Participants in this study were recruited through "The Gothenburg H70 Birth cohort study" wherein the health of 70-year-olds is examined. Clinical characteristics and symptoms such as sex, body mass index, history of smoking, previous head trauma, previous seizure, headache, dizziness, dementia, and life quality were evaluated. The associations between these variables and the presence of meningioma on MRI were determined.
Results:
MRI examinations were collected from 792 participants (415 [52.4%] women) in "The Gothenburg H70 Birth cohort study". The prevalence of meningioma was 1.8% (n = 14). Meningiomas were more common in women (n = 12) than men, but no other significant differences were observed between participants with and without meningiomas.
Conclusions:
Meningiomas are common among older women, yet often asymptomatic. Caution should be exercised when attributing symptoms to incidentally discovered small meningiomas, and a conservative approach to treatment may be warranted in these cases.
Insights
Meningiomas are common in older women, with a prevalence of 1.8% in this study. Many meningiomas are asymptomatic, suggesting a conservative treatment approach may be best.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Meningioma is the most common primary intracranial neoplasm, frequently found incidentally.
- Non-specific symptoms like headache and dizziness can be misattributed to meningiomas, causing patient anxiety and unnecessary interventions.
- Assessing meningioma prevalence is crucial for understanding disease burden and surgical indications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of meningioma in a cohort of 70-year-olds.
- To investigate associations between clinical characteristics, symptoms, and meningioma presence.
- To inform clinical decision-making regarding the management of incidentally discovered meningiomas.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment from the Gothenburg H70 Birth cohort study.
- Evaluation of clinical characteristics including sex, BMI, smoking history, head trauma, seizures, headache, dizziness, dementia, and quality of life.
- Determination of associations with meningioma presence via MRI.
Main Results:
- MRI data from 792 participants (52.4% women) were analyzed.
- The overall prevalence of meningioma was 1.8% (14 cases).
- Meningiomas were more prevalent in women (12 cases) than men; no other significant differences were found.
Conclusions:
- Meningiomas are common in older women, often remaining asymptomatic.
- Careful consideration is needed when attributing symptoms to small, incidentally found meningiomas.
- A conservative management strategy may be appropriate for asymptomatic or incidentally discovered meningiomas.
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