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Case Reports
. 2022 Jan-Dec:10:23247096221140248.
doi: 10.1177/23247096221140248.

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: An Unusual Cause of Headache in a Patient With Sickle Cell Disease

Toby Terwilliger  1   2 , Mary Ann Kirkconnell Hall  2 , Eric Galante  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension: An Unusual Cause of Headache in a Patient With Sickle Cell Disease

Toby Terwilliger et al. J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep. 2022 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a rare cause of headache and visual disturbance with no known association with sickle cell disease (SCD). We present a patient with SCD with gradual onset of a severe headache and visual changes. Brain magnetic resonance imaging, angiography, and venography were nondiagnostic. Lumbar puncture established a diagnosis of IIH, and the patient had rapid improvement with large-volume lumbar puncture and acetazolamide. To our knowledge, this is the first case of IIH in a nonobese adult with SCD taking hydroxyurea, suggesting an association between SCD or hydroxyurea use and IIH. Furthermore, her clinical course demonstrates the complexities of treating IIH in patients with SCD.

Keywords: case report; headache; idiopathic intracranial hypertension; sickle cell disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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