A study has found that in patients with bilateral Meniere’s disease (MD), the characteristics of endolymphatic hydrops are linked to the severity of hearing loss and the staging of the disease.
Dr. Xu Liu from Fudan University in Shanghai and colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis involving 77 patients diagnosed with bilateral MD. They assessed the features of endolymphatic hydrops in the affected ear using gadolinium-enhanced inner ear magnetic resonance imaging.
As reported by medicalxpress, the researchers discovered a significant correlation between the degree of endolymphatic hydrops and hearing loss across all frequencies, including cochlear, vestibular, and overall hydrops. The strongest correlation was observed at low frequencies, followed by middle and high frequencies (r = 0.571, 0.508, and 0.351, respectively). The overall degree of endolymphatic hydrops also correlated with MD staging (r = 0.463).
Within the same patient, ears exhibiting endolymphatic hydrops in both the cochlea and vestibule showed more severe hearing loss and MD staging compared to ears with isolated endolymphatic hydrops.
The authors note, “This research enhances our understanding of bilateral Meniere’s disease by emphasizing the specific clinical features associated with the condition.”