メニエール病の立場から (テーマセッション２「急性低音障害型感音難聴 vs メニエール病 : 類似点と相違点」)

Meniere’s disease is diagnosed by the clinical triad of episodic vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss and tinnitus. Meniere’s disease sometimes develops initially as acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss, which is characterized by hearing loss limited to low-tone frequencies, in the absence of vertigo. Acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss, with its favorable prognosis, is a distinct clinical entity from idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. However, it frequently relapses, with fluctuating hearing loss, in the absence of vertigo. Finally, Meniere’s disease is diagnosed when these patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss develop episodic vertigo. According to epidemiological studies, about 10% of patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss suffer from Meniere’s disease. It is assumed that endolymphatic hydrops is the common pathophysiology of both Meniere’s disease and acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss. In this review, the similarities and differences between acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss and Meniere’s disease are discussed.