CONTRALATERAL HEARING LOSS IN UNILATERAL MENIERE'S DISEASE
S. Wetmore,
West Virgina University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
OBJECTIVE: As many as one4hird of Meniere's disease (MD) patients may develop symptoms implicating both ears. The objective of this study was to evaluate audiometric data in the contralateral ear looking for signs that would implicate early MD in the otherwise asymptomatic ear.
METHODS: A cohort of 101 patients with definite MD underwent a retrospective chart review. The data were evaluated for low frequency or fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in the ear contralateral to he ear that exhibited definite MD. The criterion for low frequency SNHL was the presence of 10 dB or greater hearing loss at two of the following three frequencies: 0.25, 0.5, or 1 kHz, compared to the patient's hearing at 2 kHz. The criterion for fluctuating SNHL was the presence of 10 dB or greater change at 2 or more of the following three frequencies: 0.25, 0.5, or 1 kHz.
RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of known bilateral disease was 13% and these patients were eliminated from the study. The incidence of low frequency SNRL and fluctuating SNRL in the contralateral ear was 48% and 59%, respectively. A total of 68% of patients exhibited either low frequency or fluctuating SNHL, or both findings