Diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Consensus recommendations of the Austrian IIH network (AN4IH)

BackgroundThe diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) are highly complex processes that require interdisciplinary collaboration with respect to neurology, ophthalmology, neuroradiology, neurosurgery and endocrinology. Accordingly, there is a consensus among international guidelines that the management of these aspects of care should be the responsibility of specialized centers that are equipped with appropriate facilities. The objective of the Austrian Network for Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (AN4IH) is to establish a national network of excellence and to provide comprehensive recommendations for the structure and operation of specialized IIH centers (AN4IH centers), including an integrated, interdisciplinary diagnostic and treatment pathway.MethodsThis consensus was developed by an interdisciplinary panel of experts convened by Austrian neurologists, (neuro)ophthalmologists, neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons and endocrinologists. The process adhered to a formal consensus methodology.ResultsThe AN4IH consensus provides a comprehensive, integrated, interdisciplinary framework addressing care infrastructure, urgency stratification, diagnostics, treatment and monitoring, as well as considerations related to family planning and pregnancy in patients with IIH. The AN4IH consensus is explicitly intended as a supplement and extension to existing international guidelines.ConclusionsThe management of IIH necessitates a structured, interdisciplinary approach to optimize patient outcomes. Through formal consensus methodology, the AN4IH provides expert - and where available evidence - based recommendations for specialized care centers, emphasizing standardized diagnostic pathways, urgency stratification and tailored treatment protocols. By fostering collaboration and institutionalizing best practices, the AN4IH model represents a significant advancement in delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care for this complex neurological disorder and encourages participants to create a secure, quality-controlled shared database for the collection of all clinical and paraclinical data, alongside the establishment of a biobank for the storage of biosamples.