The acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss as first symptom of Menière's disease

Introduction:

The complete diagnosis of Menière syndrome includes vertigo, tinnitus, and low-frequency hearing loss. However, the sole acute low-frequency hearing loss can be first symptom of the Menière syndrome and precede in time before all other symptoms occur. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic role of acute low-frequency hearing loss as a hint of the future Menière syndrome.

Methods:

One hundred and six patients who were admitted to our clinic with acute low-frequency hearing loss were enrolled in this retrospective study.

Results:

The triad of full Menière syndrome consisted of 22.6 percent of our sample during admission. The triad was found to be significantly more frequent in patients with repetitive low- to mid-frequency hearing loss than in the patients with a single episode of acute low- to mid-frequency hearing loss. Of 66 patients who had a low-frequency hearing loss at the first presentation, 25 patients were followed-up. Of those, 5 patients with a sole hearing loss, four patients developed tinnitus. Of further 18 patients with an acute low-frequency hearing loss and tinnitus, 28% developed vertigo and thus the triad of the Menière syndrome. Two patients who had the triad at the first presentation had no further vertigo attacks upon therapy.

Conclusions:

According to our observations, patients with an acute low-frequency hearing loss and concomitant tinnitus are more likely to develop Menière syndrome than the patients with acute low-frequency hearing loss as a sole symptom.

Publication History

Publication Date:
18 April 2018 (online)