Clinical outcomes after stenting treatment in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension and intrinsic versus extrinsic venous sinus stenosis

Endovascular stenting is a promising treatment for patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and venous sinus stenosis (VSS). However, data on the impact of stenosis type on clinical outcomes of patients undergoing stenting treatment remain limited. This prospective cohort study aimed to compare post-stenting outcomes in patients with IIH and intrinsic versus extrinsic VSS. Patients with IIH and VSS undergoing stenting at a tertiary hospital in China were enrolled consecutively from 2017 to 2023. Based on digital subtraction angiography, high-resolution MRI, and intravascular ultrasound findings, patients were categorized into two groups: intrinsic or extrinsic stenosis. At 6 months post-stenting, clinical outcomes including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, headache, visual impairment, and papilledema were recorded. Multivariable regression models were used to explore the relationship between stenosis type and clinical outcomes. In total, 92 patients were included, 60 with intrinsic stenosis and 32 with extrinsic stenosis. At 6 months, the intrinsic group had lower CSF pressure (median 180 vs 210 mmH2O, β coefficient -31.8, 95% CI -54.0 to -9.6) and a higher rate of complete symptom resolution (81.7% vs 40.6%, OR 8.88, 95% CI 2.60 to 30.30) than the extrinsic group. Additionally, 36.8% (95% CI 10.5% to 77.2%) of the effect of stenosis type on complete symptom resolution at 6 months was mediated through reduction in CSF pressure. This single-center study suggested that patients with IIH and intrinsic VSS had lower CSF pressure and better symptom recovery compared with those with extrinsic VSS at 6 months post-stenting. Further validation in other centers and populations is needed. ChiCTR.org.cn, ChiCTR-ONN-17010421.