Neurotology Clinic Research Articles

Current Demography and Treatment Strategy of Vestibular Migraine in Neurotologic Perspective.

This study aims to describe the demographic features of vestibular migraine (VM) compared to other common peripheral vestibulopathies, and to assess the efficacy of trigger management as primary VM treatment. Retrospective study. Tertiary referral medical center. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients presenting with dizziness in a tertiary neurotology clinic. Among the newly diagnosed dizzy patients, those with a diagnosis of either VM, Ménière's disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or vestibular neuritis/labyrinthitis were selected for comparisons of the disease demographics. VM patients with multiple clinic visits in the study period were included for the treatment strategy analysis. A total of 1285 patients met the study inclusion criteria. In the newly diagnosed dizzy group comprising 814 patients, VM patients accounted for the largest (25%) and youngest (mean age 47 years) cohort, showing an obvious female preponderance of approximately 3.3:1. Furthermore, prevalence of VM declined significantly with advancing age, from 69%, to 34%, to 11%, in age groups of ≤30, 31 to 60, and >60 years, respectively. Trigger management, when employed as the primary VM first-year treatment, was effective for both sexes. Notably, it was more effective for women aged over than under 45 years. In our tertiary referral neurotologic center, VM was the most common diagnosis in newly diagnosed dizzy patients aged under 60 years, especially in women. For primary VM treatment, trigger management is an effective option deserving consideration.

Vestibular Rehabilitation Using Dynamic Posturography: Objective and Patient-Reported Outcomes from a Randomized Trial.

Balance deficits are common and debilitating. Standard treatments have limitations in addressing symptoms and restoring dynamic balance function. This study compares a rehabilitative computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) protocol, computerized vestibular retraining therapy (CVRT), with a home exercise program (HEP) for patients with objectively confirmed unilateral vestibular deficits (UVDs). Single-center, randomized, interventional trial, with 1-sided crossover. A tertiary neurotology clinic. Patients with UVDs and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) score >30 were randomized to receive either CVRT or HEP. After completion of treatment, the HEP group was crossed over to CVRT. Outcome measures were the sensory organization test (SOT) and 3 participants reported dizziness disability measures: the DHI, Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) scale, and Falls Efficacy Score-International (FES-I). We enrolled 37 patients: 18 participants completed CVRT and 12 completed HEP, 11 of whom completed the crossover. Seven participants withdrew. The CVRT group demonstrated a greater improvement in SOT composite score than the HEP group (P = .04). Both groups demonstrated improvement in participant-reported measures but there were no differences between groups (DHI: P = .2604; ABC: P = .3627; FES-I: P = .96). Following crossover to CVRT after HEP, SOT composite (P = .002), DHI (P = .03), and ABC (P = .006) improved compared to HEP alone. CVRT and HEP were both associated with improved participant-reported disability outcomes. CVRT was associated with greater improvement in objective balance than HEP. Adding CVRT after HEP was superior to HEP alone. Multimodal CDP-based interventions, such as CVRT, should be considered as an adjunct to vestibular physiotherapy for patients with UVD.

Early Experience with a Novel Treatment for Menière's Disease: A Long Acting Dexamethasone Formulation for Precise Delivery to the Round Window Membrane.

To investigate the safety and feasibility of precise delivery of a long-acting gel formulation containing 6% dexamethasone (SPT-2101) to the round window membrane for the treatment of Menière's disease. Prospective, unblinded, cohort study. Tertiary care neurotology clinic. Adults 18 to 85 years with a diagnosis of unilateral definite Menière's disease per Barany society criteria. A single injection of a long-acting gel formulation under direct visualization into the round window niche. Procedure success rate, adverse events, and vertigo control. Vertigo control was measured with definitive vertigo days (DVDs), defined as any day with a vertigo attack lasting 20 minutes or longer. Ten subjects with unilateral Menière's disease were enrolled. Precise placement of SPT-2101 at the round window was achieved in all subjects with in-office microendoscopy. Adverse events included one tympanic membrane perforation, which healed spontaneously after the study, and two instances of otitis media, which resolved with antibiotics. The average number of DVDs was 7.6 during the baseline month, decreasing to 3.3 by month 1, 3.7 by month 2, and 1.9 by month 3. Seventy percent of subjects had zero DVDs during the third month after treatment. SPT-2101 delivery to the round window is safe and feasible, and controlled trials are warranted to formally assess efficacy.

A Novel Technique of Reduction Meatoplasty for Correction of Very Large Meatus from a Previous Canal Wall-Down Mastoidectomy.

To evaluate the efficacy of reduction meatoplasty, a novel technique aiming to improve the usage of molded hearing aids and ear plugs in patients undergoing mastoid obliteration of a previous canal wall-down (CWD) mastoidectomy, complicated with a very large meatus. Twenty-six patients from a tertiary care neurotology clinic with a very large meatus from a previous CWD mastoidectomy, who were unable to use molded hearing aids or ear plugs for water protection. Reduction meatoplasty after mastoid obliteration (cartilage strips and bone pate) of the CWD mastoidectomy. The procedure involves removing a wedge of skin and underlying soft tissue superiorly in the meatus. Reduction in meatus size, enabling usage of hearing aids and ear plugs. Twenty-six patients underwent mastoid obliteration and reduction meatoplasty to reduce meatus size. Patients were followed up for an average of 22 months postoperation. After operation, the meatus size was significantly reduced in all patients, enabling usage of over-the-counter ear plugs. In addition, all six patients with hearing aids could use standard occlusive hearing aid domes without requiring molded hearing aids. No patients showed symptoms of chronic infection in the mastoid cavity during the follow-up period. Results of reduction meatoplasty showed significant improvements in functionality of the external auditory meatus, indicating that this technique is effective in reducing meatus size and improving the normal meatal anatomy after mastoid obliteration.

Exoscope-Assisted Stapedotomy: Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy.

Evaluate the safety and efficacy of exoscope-assisted stapedotomy. Retrospective chart review. Tertiary care neurotology clinic. Adult patients with otosclerosis undergoing stapedotomy. Primary stapedotomy. Evaluation of audiologic outcomes, including pure-tone average, bone-conduction thresholds, word recognition score, and air-bone gap. Complications, need for scutum removal, and length of surgery were also evaluated. A total of 47 patients were identified, and 24 patients underwent surgery with the microscope and 22 with the exoscope. There were significant improvements in pure-tone average, mean bone-conduction thresholds, and air-bone gap for both groups. There was no difference in preoperative or postoperative audiologic status for either group. There was no difference in rates of dysgeusia, chorda tympani nerve damage, dizziness, or facial paresis in either group. This study indicates similar audiologic outcomes, complication profiles, and visualization when comparing exoscopic and microscopic stapedotomy. Demonstrated here, exoscopic stapedotomy can be safely performed in a transcanal manner.

Triamcinolone Injection for Cochlear Implant Magnet Adherence Issues.

To evaluate the effectiveness of triamcinolone injections in treating external magnet displacement in cochlear implant (CI) patients with adhesions problems of their processor. We present seven CI patients with magnet adhesion issues who presented to our tertiary care neurotology clinic. None of the patients had a history of head trauma, postimplant MRI, or surgery in the head and neck other than the cochlear implantation. Triamcinolone 40 mg/mL injected subcutaneously at the CI magnet site. Reduction of scalp thickness and successful magnet retention. Our cohort consisted of seven patients (eight implant sites) of which five were overweight or obese. The temporoparietal scalp thickness measured on preoperative CT scans varied between 8.4 and 15.9 mm. Initial conservative measures such as hair shaving at the magnet site, using a headband, and increasing magnet strength failed in all patients. After receiving triamcinolone injections at the CI receiver site, six out of seven patients (seven out of eight CI sites) were able to use their processor again without the need for a headband for an average of 9.55 hours/day. The average number of injections required for each patient was 2.57 (SD = 2.18), median (range) = 1 (1-7). One patient required a flap thinning surgery but showed no improvement even after flap thinning. None of the patients showed skin irritation, breakdown, ulceration, necrosis, or magnet exposure during follow-up period. The significant improvement in CI retention shows that triamcinolone injections are effective in making the subcutaneous tissue thinner and allowing magnet retention.

市中病院のめまい外来での最近の臨床統計

A statistical analysis examining 206 patients (61 males, 145 females) who had visited the neurotological clinic in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ikeda City Hospital, complaining of vertigo and dizziness between August 2020 and January 2022 was conducted. The age distribution peaked for patients in their seventies. Vertigo and dizziness of peripheral origin accounted for 65.5%, while that of central origin accounted for 0.5% and that of unknown origin accounted for 8.7%. Most patients with vertigo and dizziness of peripheral vestibular origin had BPPV [Please define] (26.7%) or Meniere's disease (26.2%), followed by cardio-circulatory disease (13.6%), vestibular neuritis (9.2%), persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD, 5.8%), psychogenic vertigo (2.9%), or delayed endolymphatic hydrops (2.4%).

Treatment of Stapedial Myoclonus as a Migraine-Related Phenomenon.

To describe a case series of patients with stapedial myoclonus (SM) whose conditions improved after prophylactic migraine treatment. We present seven cases of SM reported from a tertiary care neurotology clinic. All seven patients reported SM triggers similar to those of migraine headaches and suffered from concomitant headaches and/or vertigo, and were thus treated with a standard migraine protocol used at this neurotology clinic. Prophylactic migraine treatment. Reduction or resolution of SM. In this series, seven patients with SM were included. Six of seven subjects were male (86%), with a mean age at presentation of 44 years. Four patients noted significant improvement in their symptoms, with a reduced frequency, duration, and intensity of their symptoms with the migraine regimen. Three patients experienced complete resolution of SM with their migraine treatment. We report that treatment with prophylactic migraine treatment can provide long-term relief for patients with SM, which may suggest an etiological association between migraine and SM as well as a possible treatment for SM.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Case-Control Study.

To investigate the role of cardiovascular risk factors (specifically hypertension [HTN], hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus I and II, and body mass index (BMI) on the development of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). Case-control retrospective chart review. A tertiary referral center. Patients aged 18 to 85 years who presented to the clinic over a 1-year span (September 17, 2020 to September 17, 2021) for evaluation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Comparing the prevalence of the different cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared with when compared with non-SSNHL patients at a neurotology clinic. Two hundred twenty-three patients with SSNHL were compared with age- and gender-matched comparison group to investigate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors within each group. There are no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in the prevalence of HTN, hyperlipidemia/dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus I and II, and BMI in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss when compared with non-SSNHL patients at a neurotology clinic. Despite correlation between CVRF and SSNHL found in some other studies, we did not find a significant correlation between CVRF (diabetes, HTN, dyslipidemia, and high BMI) and SSNHL in our retrospective case control study of patients presenting to a nonacademic tertiary neurotology clinic. Although there may be other factors contributing to the pathogenesis of SSNHL, we have not yet identified these factors.

Prevalence of Polypharmacy in Patients With Vestibular and Balance Complaints.

To determine the prevalence of polypharmacy in patients presenting with dizziness to a tertiary neurotology clinic and analyze the association between polypharmacy and clinical characteristics. Retrospective, cross-sectional review. Demographics, symptoms, diagnoses, medications, audiometry, dizziness handicap index (DHI) scores, and cognitive failure questionnaire (CFQ) scores were extracted from charts of patients seen as new patients from September 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020, with a primary complaint of dizziness. A total of 382 patients were included. More than two-thirds of the patients (n = 265, 69.4%) met criteria for polypharmacy (≥5 medications), of which most (n = 249, 94.0%) were prescribed a potentially ototoxic drug. Approximately 10% of patients were taking five or more ototoxic medications (oto-polypharmacy). Polypharmacy was correlated to age and was more common for patients with diabetes, hypertension, other cardiovascular comorbidities, and depression (odds ratio [OR], 3.73-6.67; p < 0.05). Polypharmacy was twice as likely in patients with mild to moderate hearing loss (OR 2.02 [1.24-3.29] and OR 2.13 [1.06-4.27], respectively; p < 0.05) and ~1.5× more likely in patients who had moderate to severe DHI scores (OR 1.65 [1.05-2.59] and OR 1.63 [1.00-2.65], respectively; p < 0.05). Patients with polypharmacy also had higher CFQ scores compared to those without polypharmacy (CFQ 32.5 [19.0-48.0] versus CFQ 25.0 [13.0-40.0]; p = 0.002. Oto-polypharmacy was more common for patients with lightheadedness as a dizziness descriptor (OR 3.16 [1.56-6.41]; p < 0.01). However, oto-polypharmacy was only more common for patients with mild to moderate hearing loss (OR 2.69 [1.33-5.45] and OR 2.86 [1.31-6.20], respectively; p < 0.01) and severe DHI scores (2.31 [1.12-4.77], p = 0.02). The prevalence of polypharmacy in patients with vestibular disorders is high. Some of the medications that patients are on are also potentially ototoxic at variable degrees. Polypharmacy is more common when lightheadedness is one of the dizziness descriptors and seems to be associated with worse scores on patient-reported outcome measures (DHI, CFQ). Medication reconciliation and multidisciplinary involvement could help to better address polypharmacy in this patient population. However, further investigation is needed to elucidate polypharmacy's role in symptom presentation, vestibular testing results, and therapeutic strategies.

Experience with Telemedicine in a Tertiary Academic Otologic Clinic During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

To examine the utility of telemedicine in a tertiary otologic practice. Retrospective case series. Tertiary neurotology clinic. Consecutive adult patients presenting via video visit between January 2020 and January 2021. Televideo modality to conduct visits with patients seeking evaluation for new concerns, second opinions, or routine follow-up for established conditions. Success of the televideo visit defined by the televideo visit being sufficient for determining a definitive plan and not requiring deferment of recommendations for a subsequent in-person visit. A total of 102 televideo visits were performed among 100 unique patients. Of those, 92 (90.2%) visits were for second opinions or evaluation of new concerns, most commonly for vestibular schwannoma (n = 32, 31.4%), followed by sensorineural hearing loss (n = 20, 19.6%). Other visits were conducted for early postoperative follow-up and established general follow-up. In 91.2% of cases (n = 93), patients were successfully evaluated and provided recommendations from the initial video visit. All visits with patients having a diagnosis of meningioma (n = 7), and nearly all with vestibular Schwannoma (97%, n = 31) and sensorineural hearing loss (95%, n = 19) were successful. Of the 79 patients offered surgery as one potential treatment option, 31 patients underwent surgery at our institution by time of review. Patients with unsuccessful visits (n = 9, 8.8%) were advised to schedule additional in-person diagnostic imaging, vestibular testing, or cochlear implant candidacy evaluation to establish a more definitive care plan. Virtual televideo visits were successful for a high percentage of selected patients seen at a tertiary neurotology practice, particularly those seeking evaluation of vestibular schwannoma or sensorineural hearing loss.

Evolution of geriatric Meniere's disease during the past two decades

BackgroundThis study compared the incidence of Meniere's disease (MD) in the elderly aged >65 years between the first (2001–2010) and second (2011–2020) decades to investigate the evolution of geriatric MD. MethodsTotally, 1605 and 2550 patients with definite MD were experienced at the neurotological clinic during the first and the second decades, respectively. All patients were divided into three groups by 30-year age band, namely elderly (aged 65–94 years), adult (aged 35–64 years) and young (aged 5–34 years) groups, and underwent an inner ear test battery. Factors relating to the incidence of MD during the past two decades were analyzed. ResultsThe elderly MD group comprised 198 (12.4%) of 1605 MD cases during the first decade, and 463 (18.2%) of 2550 MD cases during the second decade, showing a significantly increased incidence of elderly MD. Correlation between annual life expectancy (x) in Taiwan and annual prevalence (y) of the elderly MD in relation to total MD cases revealed y = 0.023x – 1.660 via linear regression analysis. In contrast, the adult MD group significantly differed in terms of age and gender ratio, but not incidence, between the two decades. Conversely, the young MD group exhibited significantly decreased incidence from the first decade (22.3%) to the second decade (13.8%). ConclusionEvolution of geriatric MD during the past two decades reveals an increased incidence of the elderly MD patients, likely due to increased life expectancy coupled with altered life style.

Evolution of pediatric vertigo/dizziness during the past two decades

Background Increasing life expectancy and declining birth rate are two key drivers of population aging globally, resulting in a falling population. Objective This study investigated the evolution of pediatric patients with vertigo/dizziness during the past two decades. Methods From 2001 to 2010, a total of 17,123 new patients with vertigo/dizziness visited our neurotological clinic. Of them, 472 (2.8%) were children (Group A). In contrast, 260 children (1.3%) out of 20,404 new patients with vertigo/dizziness were experienced during the period 2011–2020 (Group B). All patients underwent an inner ear test battery before diagnosis. Results The incidence of pediatric vertigo/dizziness in relation to overall neurotological cases significantly decreased from the first decade (2.8%) to the second decade (1.3%). Approximately 80% prevalence of pediatric vertigo/dizziness cases were referred to as vestibular migraine and benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood regardless of Group A or B. Correlation between annual birth rate (x) and incidence of pediatric vertigo/dizziness cases in relation to overall neurotological cases (y) represented as y = 6.488x − 0.037 via linear regression analysis. Conclusion The evolution of pediatric vertigo/dizziness revealed decreased incidence from 2.8% (2001–2010) to 1.3% (2011–2020), which may be related to the declined annual birth rate from 11.7‰ (2001) to 7.0‰ (2020).

Relationship of vitamin D levels with clinical presentation and recurrence of BPPV in a Southeastern United States institution

To examine the relationship of 25hydroxyvitamin D serum levels with BPPV incidence and recurrence rates. A retrospective cross-sectional, case-controlled study with follow-up phone survey was performed on patients diagnosed with BPPV between 05/2017-05/2020, who had available 25hydroxyvitamin D serology. Patients were seen at a multidisciplinary, vestibular-focused, neurotology clinic at a tertiary referral center. Controls consisted of subjects from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), and a locoregional age, sex, and race-matched group of patients from our institution. Our BPPV cohort consisted of 173 patients (mean age 66.2 ± 11.8 years), who were predominately female (75.7%) and Caucasian (76.3%). Almost all age subgroups (BPPV, NHANES, and locoregional groups) ≤60 years old had insufficient levels of vitamin D. However, the overall BPPV cohort had a significantly higher vitamin D level than the NHANES control (31.4 ± 16.5 v. 26.0 ± 11.2 ng/mL, d=0.474 [0.323, 0.626]). There was no significant difference when compared to the overall locoregional control (31.4 ± 20.5 ng/mL). Migraines were significantly correlated to increased BPPV recurrence rates on univariate (beta=0.927, p=0.037, 95% CI: [0.057, 1.798]) and multiple regression analyses (beta=0.231, 95% CI: [0.024, 2.029], p=0.045). Furthermore, patients with BPPV recurrences had significantly lower levels of vitamin D at initial presentation when compared to patients with no recurrences (29.0 ± 12.0 v. 37.6 ± 18.3 ng/mL, d=0.571[0.139,1.001]). Many BPPV patients in our cohort had insufficient vitamin D levels, and patients with BPPV recurrences had insufficient and significantly lower vitamin D levels than those without. As a readily available and affordable supplement, vitamin D may be used as an adjunct treatment but prospective studies should be done to confirm if it can prevent or reduce recurrence.

Using magnetic resonance imaging to improve diagnosis of peripheral vestibular disorders

Peripheral vestibular disorders are caused by pathology of the inner ear. The majority of these disorders are diagnosed with a detailed history and vestibular physical exam. Imaging is rarely a part of diagnostic work up as the pathologies of these disorders are “invisible,” or undetectable on imaging. However, these “invisible” diagnoses are becoming increasingly visible with advancements in imaging technology. Developments in magnetic resonance imaging are allowing for increased spatial resolution and better image contrast, improving our ability to see soft tissue structures including the membranous labyrinth, sensory epithelia and nerves. With these improvements in imaging, clinicians will be able to understand better atypical presentations of peripheral vestibular disorders, disease intractable to traditional therapy, disorders with unclear pathoetiology and disease only seen on histopathological studies. This review assesses the current state of imaging in the neurotology clinic with a special focus on magnetic resonance imaging and then gathers diseases identified by vestibular testing and histopathological studies that could be better understood with developments in imaging. In doing so, we hope to guide advancement in neurotologic imaging and apprise clinicians of the utility of imaging in peripheral vestibular disease diagnosis.

Patient-Reported Disability After Computerized Posturographic Vestibular Retraining for Stable Unilateral Vestibular Deficit

Individuals with persistent unilateral vestibular deficits experience loss of quality of life and increased risk of falling, and they have few well-supported options for effective treatment. To evaluate whether vestibular retraining using computerized dynamic posturography is associated with reduced participant-reported disability for patients with an objectively assessed unilateral peripheral vestibular deficit and to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomized clinical trial of vestibular retraining using computerized dynamic posturography. This single-group cohort study was conducted from April 29 to July 23, 2021, in a tertiary neurotology clinic among 13 individuals with a stable unilateral vestibular deficit present for more than 6 months, confirmed with videonystagmography and vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing. Statistical analysis was performed from July 7, 2021, to January 25, 2022. Twelve twice-weekly sessions of posturography-assisted vestibular retraining with prescribed weight shifting tasks guided by an interactive display. Change in scores on the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale, and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), which participants completed before and after retraining to measure their perception of their disability. They also completed posturography measurements. Secondary outcomes included tolerability of the intervention and rate of completion of the full protocol. A total of 13 participants (8 men [62%]; median age, 51 years [range, 18-67 years]) were enrolled. All 13 participants completed the intervention and all follow-up. After treatment, the median changes in scores were -16 points (95% CI, -20 to 2) for the DHI, -9 (95% CI, -14 to 1) for the FES-I, and 11.9 (95% CI, 0-17.3) for the ABC Scale. Eight participants (62%) improved by greater than the minimum clinically important difference (MCID) for the DHI, whereas 4 (31%) exceeded the MCID for the ABC Scale, and 3 (23%) exceeded the MCID for the FES-I. Participants with moderate to severe disability at baseline (n = 7) had a larger magnitude of improvement in DHI scores than those with mild disability (n = 6) (-18 [95% CI, -78 to 2] vs -1 [95% CI, -8 to 16]). Six of the 7 patients (86%) with moderate to severe disability improved by greater than the MCID for DHI, wherease 4 of 7 patients (57%) improved by greater than the MCID for the ABC Scale, and 3 of 7 patients (43%) improved by greater than the MCID for the FES-I. This cohort study suggests that computerized, dynamic posturography-assisted retraining was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in participant-reported disability among those with stable unilateral vestibular deficit and moderate to severe disability. Further studies should compare posturography-assisted vestibular retraining with conventional physical therapy rehabilitation techniques. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04875013.

Receiving Long-Term Disability or Pursuing a Legal Claim May Prevent Recovery From Chronic Dizziness.

Chronic dizziness (CD) and imbalance have multiple etiologies. CD is strongly linked with psychiatric and psychological comorbidities, thus an interdisciplinary approach, including psychopharmacological interventions, is recommended. Despite the use of this comprehensive treatment approach, the recovery of individuals with CD that pursue long-term disability (LTD) insurance or legal claims (LC) appears hampered. As such, we aimed to compare symptom recovery from CD in an interdisciplinary setting between patients receiving LTD/LC versus those who were not, and to explore the factors that may contribute to changes in symptom severity. Retrospective cohort study. Dizziness-related diagnoses were extracted from the charts of 195 adults in an outpatient interdisciplinary neurotology clinic in Toronto, Canada. Patients with baseline Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and Dizziness Catastrophizing Scale (DCS) assessments between August 2012 and July 2018 and a mean follow-up visit within approximately 10 months were included. The study participants were categorized as "LTD/LC+" (n=92) or "LTD/LC-" (n=103), referring to either receiving or pursuing LTD/LC or not, respectively. There were differences in the mean percentage changes in DHI (t[187]=3.02, P=.003) and DCS (t[179]=2.63, P=.009) scores between LTD/LC+ and LTD/LC- patients. LTD/LC+ patients showed 8.0% and 7.6% mean increases in DHI and DCS scores, respectively, whereas LTD/LC- patients showed 21.5% and 25.9% reductions in DHI and DCS scores, respectively, controlling for age, sex, and baseline illness severity. Patients receiving or pursuing LTD insurance or a legal claim did not improve from CD and dizziness catastrophizing compared to those who were not. Future studies are required to test these findings prospectively and to determine the factors that may contribute to symptom recovery, including the anxiety-aggravating effects of the LTD/LC process and the deleterious consequences of developing a sick-role while afflicted with a chronic illness. 3 Laryngoscope, 132:655-661, 2022.

Migraine Features in Patients With Isolated Aural Fullness and Proposal for a New Diagnosis.

To compare the presence of migraine features between patients with isolated aural fullness (AF) who meet the diagnostic criteria for migraine headache and those who do not, and to propose diagnostic criteria for migraine-related AF based on our results. We performed a retrospective study of patients presenting to a tertiary-care neurotology clinic between 2014 and 2020 with migraine-related AF. This was defined as isolated, prolonged aural fullness concurrent with migraine features once other etiologies were ruled out via examination, audiometry, and imaging. Migraine features were compared between patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for migraine headache and those not meeting the criteria. Seventy-seven patients with migraine-related AF were included. The mean age was 56 ± 15 years and 55 (71%) patients were female. Eleven (14%) patients fulfilled the criteria for migraine headache (migraine group). Of the 66 patients who did not meet the criteria (nonmigraine group), 17 (26%) met 4/5 criteria, and 32 (48%) met 3/5 criteria, for a total of 49 (74%) patients. The migraine and nonmigraine groups were only different in 5 of 20 features, including family history of migraine (p = 0.007), sound sensitivity (p < 0.001), mental fogginess (p = 0.008), visual motion sensitivity (p = 0.008), and light sensitivity (p < 0.001). There are minimal differences in the overall prevalence of migraine features between patients with migraine-related AF who meet and do not meet the diagnostic criteria for migraine. Our findings suggest that the criteria may be too stringent and exclude many patients from potentially benefitting from treatment with migraine prophylaxis.

Cochlear Meniere's: A Distinct Clinical Entity With Isolated Cochlear Hydrops on High-Resolution MRI?

Objective: Describe the clinical characteristics of patients with isolated cochlear endolymphatic hydrops (EH).Study design: Clinical case series.Setting: Tertiary Neurotology referral clinic.Patients: All subjects presenting to a University Neurotology clinic during a 1-year period from July 2015 until August 2016 who had isolated cochlear EH on MRI. Patients with a history of temporal bone surgery prior to the MRI were excluded.Intervention: High-resolution delayed-intravenous contrast MRI.Main outcome measures: Audiometric and vestibular testing, clinical history analysis.Results: 10 subjects demonstrated isolated, unilateral cochlear hydrops on MRI. None of these patients met the criteria for Meniere's disease. Mean age of the group was 66.4 years and most were males (70%). Unilateral aural fullness (70%), tinnitus (80%), and hearing loss (90%) were frequently observed. Only one patient presented with unsteadiness (10%) and one patient had a single isolated spell of positional vertigo 1 month prior to the MRI (10%) but no further vertigo spells in the 4 years following the MRI. The mean PTA was 37.8 dB which was significantly decreased from the non-affected ear with PTA of 17.9 (p < 0.001). One patient developed vertiginous spells and unsteadiness 4 years after initial presentation and a repeat MRI revealed progression to utricular, saccular and cochlear hydrops. Vestibular testing was obtained in five patients with one patient presenting with 50% caloric paresis and all others normal. The most common treatment tried was acetazolamide in seven patients with 86% reporting subjective clinical improvement. Two out of the 10 patients had a history of migraine (20%).Conclusions: Patients with MRI exhibiting isolated cochlear EH present with predominantly auditory symptoms: mild to moderate low-frequency hearing loss, aural fullness, tinnitus without significant vertigo. Isolated cochlear hydrops is more common in males, average age in mid-60's and there is a low comorbidity of migraine headaches. This contrasts significantly with patients with isolated saccular hydrops on MRI from our prior studies. We believe that isolated cochlear EH with hearing loss but no vertigo is distinct from Meniere's disease or its variant delayed endolymphatic hydrops. We propose that cochlear Meniere's disease represents a distinct clinical entity that could be a variant of Meniere's disease.

Understanding Dizzy Patients a Cross-Sectional Analysis of Attitudes toward Diagnosis, Providers, and Treatment

To evaluate patients' attitudes regarding their dizziness, provider capabilities, and receptiveness toward treatment. Cross-sectional study. Tertiary care vestibular clinic. Ages 18 years or older, fluent in English, and who presented with a chief complaint of dizziness or vertigo. N/A. Non-validated questionnaire surveying patients' beliefs regarding the cause of their dizziness, likelihood of successful treatment, and openness to various treatment modalities. Patients were asked to complete an online non-validated survey regarding their dizziness prior to being evaluated in neurotology clinic. About 67 surveys were completed between January 2017 and September 2018. A majority of patients attributed their dizziness to their ears (n = 47, 70%), followed by the brain (n = 29, 43%). Most subjects chose "neither agree nor disagree" about whether their provider could identify the cause of their dizziness (27%). Most subjects also chose "neither agree nor disagree" that their dizziness would resolve with treatment (31%). These attitudes were not influenced by demographics, dizziness severity, anxiety, depression, or quality of life on multivariate ordinal regression modeling. Patients who experience dizziness have neutral attitudes with regards to believing that their provider will be able to identify the cause of their dizziness and whether their dizziness will resolve with treatment. These neutral attitudes are experienced by a plurality of patients and do not differ by demographic information, dizziness handicap, quality of life, depression, or anxiety.