Audiometric Findings of Patients with Migraine-Associated Dizziness

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine whether the audiometric findings of migraine-associated dizziness could be used to better distinguish migraine-associated dizziness from Meniere's disease. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review. SETTING: Tertiary, otology/neurotology practice. PATIENTS: Two groups of patients were studied, a migraine-associated dizziness and a Meniere's disease group. There were 76 and 34 patients in the migraine-associated dizziness and Meniere's disease groups, respectively. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Initial and follow-up pure-tone average and low-frequency pure-tone average were recorded for both groups. Independent samples t tests were used to test for mean differences in pure-tone average and low-frequency pure-tone average. RESULTS: Pure-tone average and low-frequency pure-tone average were significantly worse for patients in the Meniere's disease group at both the initial and follow-up assessments. Three patients in the migraine-associated dizziness group had an elevated pure-tone average (>/=26 dB) and/or low-frequency pure-tone average at initial and/or follow-up assessment. The remaining 73 migraine-associated dizziness patients had normal hearing. In the Meniere's disease group, only two patients had a normal pure-tone average and low-frequency pure-tone average at both initial and follow-up evaluations. The hearing difference between the two groups was significant even when controlling for age and duration of dizziness symptoms. CONCLUSION: Audiometric findings of patients with migraine-associated dizziness are most often normal. Unlike Meniere's disease, the sensorineural hearing loss in migraine-associated dizziness rarely progresses. These audiometric findings may help to distinguish migraine-associated dizziness from Meniere's disease when diagnostic ambiguity exists between these two diagnoses.