Abstract
Background: Meniere’s disease (MD) involves cochlear and
vestibular symptoms, but the underlying cause remains unclear. Findings
predominantly show a low-to-mid-tone hearing impairment, and it is not
possible to predict hearing improvement after an attack.
Objective: To examine whether improvement in hearing in
definite MD (DMD) patients could be predicted using inner ear contrast
magnetic resonance imaging (IEC-MRI) and pure tone audiometry (PTA) at
the time of the attack.
Methods: Between April 2020 and March 2022, seven DMD
outpatients were enrolled based on the Bárány Society DMD criteria.
Patients were divided into two groups: a low-tone hearing loss (LTL)
group and a low-to-mid-tone hearing loss (LMTL) group. Hearing
improvement rates were examined. We also examined whether endolymphatic
hydrops and hearing improvement were related.
Results: Endolymphatic hydrops was found in two of four LTL
cases. One of three LMTL cases had prominent lymphedema. All LTL
patients showed hearing improvements. Only one LMTL patient showed
hearing improvement. Endolymphatic hydrops did not correlate with
hearing improvement.
Conclusions: It is not possible to estimate hearing improvement
using IEC-MRI. PTA showed that LTL had a better hearing prognosis than
LMTL. Therefore, it is possible to estimate hearing improvement using
PTA.
Keywords: Meniere’s disease, magnetic resonance imaging,
endolymphatic hydrops, pure tone audiometry