高齢者のメニエール病

Abstract

Introduction: Meniere's disease is generally observed in persons aged between 30 and 50 years old. However, with the aging of the population, one may expect an increase in the number of elderly patients with the disease. The current study was aimed at clarifying the prevalence and clinical characteristics of Meniere's disease in the elderly, especially in patients aged >65 years old at the onset of the disease.Methods: Statistical analysis was performed on the recorded data of patients with Meniere's disease who visited Hino Municipal Hospital from 2004 to 2007.Results: Our sample comprised 47 patients with Meniere's disease, with an average age of 54.9 ± 14.2 years. Patients who developed Meniere's disease at the age of ≥65 years were classified as de novo patients ; the remaining patients were classified as non-de novo patients. There were 13 (27.7%) de novo patients (3 males and 9 females; average age: 73.4 ± 4.9 years). The observations showed that the worst hearing level exhibited by the de novo patients was significantly different from that exhibited by the non-de novo patients. As treatment for Meniere's disease, 6 (46.2%) of the de novo patients underwent tympanic tube insertion, while 4 of the 6 patients underwent middle ear pressure treatment with a Meniett device.Conclusion: De-novo patients were more frequently admitted, but there was no difference in the duration of hospitalization between the de novo and non-de novo patients. It can be quite stressful for elderly patients with Meniere's disease to call an ambulance to transport them to the hospital during a vertigo attack. Tympanic tube insertion was undertaken as treatment in many of the patients, but none of the patients received intratympanic gentamicin. It is important that physicians who care for elderly patients with Meniere's disease take special care of those experiencing vertigo. Early diagnosis of Meniere's disease should be made in the elderly.