Eighty patients with benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) (76 females, 4 males, age range 15-54 years) were studied. Endocrine changes (pregnancy-17, obesity-16, dysmenorrhea-15, hyperthyroidism-7, ...etc.) were the most common cause of BIH (72.5%-58 from 80). Besides general sings of intracranial hypertension (papilledema-80, headache-76, nausea-47, dizziness-43, obnubilations-39), 36 (45%) patients had visual problems. After treatment complete recovery took place in 48 patients, non-significant residual changes persisted in 16 patients, main symptoms of BIH persisted in 16 patients. Papilledema regressed completely in 52 patients, post-papilledematous discoloration of optic disks or optic atrophy were discovered in 12 patients.
Seventy-two patients (69 women and 3 men) with benign intracranial hypertension were examined. Besides general clinical signs, such as headache in 71, giddiness in 29, vomiting in 19, poor health in ...general in 18, painful movements of the eyeballs in 11, unsteady walking in 10, ringing in the ears in 9, noise in the head in 3, all the patients developed changes in the organ of vision. Congestive optic disks were detected in all the cases. Obnubilations were detected in 34 (47.2%) patients, diplopia in 5 (6.9%). Vision acuity was reduced in 33 (45.8%) patients, visual field was limited in 23 (31.9%). Forty-three patients completely recovered, negligible residual symptoms of benign intracranial hypertension persisted in 16, and all symptoms of the condition were virtually unchanged in 13 patients. Vision acuity remained reduced in 10 (13.9%) patients, and one female patient developed amaurosis of both eyes.
Altogether 45 patients (41 women and 4 men) with benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) were observed. BIH developed in 22 women in the gestation period, in 4 during a menopause, in 2 in the presence ...of hypothyroidism, in 2 due to respiratory infection, in 2 due to a slight cerebrocranial injury, and in one patient with associated galactorrhea-amenorrhea. The cause of BIH in 12 patients remained unclear. Most of the women were obese (33 of 41). The clinical picture of BIH consisted of headaches, congested optic discs, and elevated pressure of cerebrospinal fluid. In most cases prognosis turned out favorable. In the residual period, 1 patient had amaurosis, 25 presented with mild headache, 19 completely recovered. Three women had recurrent BIH.
A total of 134 pregnant women with congestive optic disks were followed up, 16 of these in the postpartum period. Cerebrovascular disorders were responsible for this condition in 36 (26.4%) patients, ...inflammatory diseases of the nervous system in 33 (24.6%), benign intracranial hypertension in 26 (19.4%), brain tumors in 20 (14.9%), grave forms of late gestosis in 10 (7.4%), traumatic cerebral arachnoiditis in 5 (3.7%) and developmental defects of the skull in 4 (3.0%) patients. Congestive optic disks were not always a sufficient reason for induced abortion. Pregnancy was terminated because of direct threat to vision in 13 (11%) to the 118 patients. In 8 cases medical abortions were carried out in the first pregnancy trimester, in 5 cases cesarean sections were carried out.
Benign endocranial hypertension (BEH) is defined as a syndrome the clinical symptomatology of which includes elevated intracranial pressure without signs of focal injury of the brain. There were 55 ...BEH patients (52 female and 3 male patients). Changes of endocrine status were found to prevail among etiological factors, viz. pregnancy, obesity, galactorrhea-amenorrhea, hypothyrosis, ingestion of oral contraceptives. All the patients showed signs of intracranial hypertension (headache, vomit, conjested optical disks). The spinal fluid pressure was elevated, with the cellular and protein composition being normal. The condition was marked by benign course and favourable outcome.
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