Pseudotumor Cerebri in a Patient with Inflammatory Arthritis Treated with Methotrexate and Etanercept

Pedersen AT^1*, Jensen RH², Hamann S³, Ammitzbøll-Danielsen M¹

¹Rigshospitalet, Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
²Rigshospitalet, Department of Neurology Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark
³Rigshospitalet, Department of Ophthalmology, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark

*Corresponding Author: Pedersen AT, Rigshospitalet, Center for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark.

Received: January 23, 2026; Published: September 30, 2026

Abstract

Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is a rare condition marked by elevated intracranial pressure without an identifiable structural lesion. Primary PTC is associated with obesity and female sex, whereas secondary PTC can be triggered by certain medications. We report the case of a 30-year-old woman with inflammatory arthritis who developed PTC while on long-term methotrexate (MTX) and recently added etanercept therapy. Despite having risk factors for primary PTC, her symptoms improved significantly after discontinuing MTX, suggesting a potential medication-related cause. This case underscores the importance of recognizing PTC as a possible adverse effect of MTX, especially in patients with predisposing factors.

Keywords: Pseudotumor Cerebri; Arthritis; Methotrexate; Papilledema; Medication-Related Adverse Effects

References

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Citation

Citation: Pedersen AT., et al. “Pseudotumor Cerebri in a Patient with Inflammatory Arthritis Treated with Methotrexate and Etanercept". Acta Scientific Clinical Case Reports 7.1 (2026): 07-09.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2026 Pedersen AT., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.