Role of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha in the pathophysiology of idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Background Although the pathogenesis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is still poorly understood, the contribution of inflammatory mechanisms has been proposed in its pathophysiology. Objective This study aimed to measure serum tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels in patients with IIH and to examine its relationship with clinical and ophthalmological parameters and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure. Subjects and methods Thirty‐six IIH patients and 30 healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. Patients were subjected to complete neurological, general, and ophthalmological assessments. Serum TNF‐α levels were measured for patients and controls using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum TNF‐α levels were significantly higher in IIH patients compared to healthy controls (p value