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Published on: April 24, 2020
Risk Factors for Poor Visual Outcomes Among Males with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH).
Jacqueline K Shaia1,2,3, Jeffrey Chu2, Taseen Alam2
1Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Neuro-Ophthalmology (Aeolus Press)
|June 30, 2026
Summary
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) affects more women, but males with IIH face higher risks of poor visual outcomes. Smoking, diabetes, and hypertension are key risk factors for vision loss in men with IIH.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) predominantly affects women of reproductive age.
- However, approximately 10% of patients diagnosed with IIH are male.
Purpose of the Study:
- This study aimed to evaluate male patients diagnosed with IIH.
- The primary objective was to identify risk factors associated with poor visual outcomes in this demographic.
Main Methods:
- The study included male patients diagnosed with IIH or papilledema between June 2012 and September 2023.
- Data on demographics, treatments, and outcomes were collected and analyzed, stratifying patients by visual outcomes.
Main Results:
- Male IIH patients constituted 11.2% of the total cohort.
- Post-pubertal males had a higher rate of poor visual outcomes (12.9%) compared to females (7.9%).
- Risk factors for poor visual outcomes in males included current/former smoking, diabetes, and hypertension.
Conclusions:
- While men are a minority of IIH patients, they appear to have a greater likelihood of poor visual outcomes compared to women.
- Poor baseline vision, smoking history, diabetes, and hypertension are significant prognostic indicators for visual impairment in males with IIH.
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