Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a possible association with Imatinib

Abstract

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is characterized by an increased intracranial pressure in the absence of a tumor and in the absence of a venous thrombosis. Associated risk factors include obesity and several medications such as tetracyclines. We report a 60-year-old patient who developed IIH under treatment with imatinib. To our knowledge such a possible connection has not been reported in the literature, even though intracranial hypertension is now listed as a rare possible side effect of treatment with imatinib in the Swiss List of Medications Arzneimittelkompendium. It remains to be seen, if further case reports will support this observation.