Intracranial hypotension and hypertension in children and adolescents

Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2014 Jul;18(7):430. doi: 10.1007/s11916-014-0430-7.

Abstract

The specific aim of this review is to report the features of intracranial pressure changes [spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH)] in children and adolescents, with emphasis on the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment modalities. Headache associated with intracranial pressure changes are relatively rare and less known in children and adolescents. SIH is a specific syndrome involving reduced intracranial pressure with orthostatic headache, frequently encountered connective tissue disorders, and a good prognosis with medical management, initial epidural blood patching, and sometimes further interventions may be required. IIH is an uncommon condition in children and different from the disease in adults, not only with respect to clinical features (likely to present with strabismus and stiff neck rather than headache or pulsatile tinnitus) but also different in outcome. Consequently, specific ICP changes of pediatric ages required specific attention both of exact diagnosis and entire management.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain Diseases / complications
  • Brain Diseases / pathology*
  • Brain Diseases / therapy
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / complications
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / pathology*
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / therapy
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Epidural Space
  • Humans
  • Hyperemia / complications
  • Hyperemia / pathology*
  • Hyperemia / therapy
  • Intracranial Hypotension / etiology
  • Intracranial Hypotension / pathology*
  • Intracranial Hypotension / therapy
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Meningitis / complications
  • Meningitis / pathology*
  • Meningitis / therapy
  • Physical Examination
  • Pituitary-Adrenal System / pathology
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri / etiology
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri / pathology*
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri / therapy
  • Spinal Puncture