The relevance of migraine in patients with Ménière's disease

CONCLUSION: Coexistent migraine affects relevant clinical features of patients with Ménière's disease (MD). OBJECTIVE: Epidemiological studies have shown an association between migraine and MD. We sought to determine whether the coexistence of migraine affects any clinical features in patients with MD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective case-control study of University Neurotology Clinic patients, 50 patients meeting 1995 AAO-HNS criteria for definite MD were compared to 18 patients meeting the same criteria in addition to the 2004 IHS criteria for migraine (MMD). All had typical low frequency sensorineural hearing loss and episodes of rotational vertigo. Outcome measures included: sex, age of onset of episodic vertigo or fluctuating hearing loss, laterality of hearing loss, aural symptoms, caloric responses, severity of hearing loss, and family history of migraine, episodic vertigo or hearing loss. RESULTS: Age of onset of episodic vertigo or fluctuating hearing loss was significantly lower in patients with MMD (mean +/- 1.96*SE = 37.2 +/- 6.3 years) than in those with MD (mean +/- 1.96*SE = 49.3 +/- 4.4 years). Concurrent bilateral aural symptoms and hearing loss were seen in 56% of MMD and 4% of MD patients. A family history of episodic vertigo was seen in 39% of MMD and 2% of MD patients.