Phonophobia and migraine features in patients with definite meniere's disease: Pentad or triad/tetrad?

Vestibular migraine or Meniere's disease: a diagnostic dilemma

Meniere's disease (MD) represents one of the vertigo disorders characterized by triad symptoms (recurrent vertigo, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus or ear fullness). The diagnosis of MD relies on the accurate and detailed taking of medical history, and the differentiation between MD and vestibular migraine (VM) is of critical importance from the perspective of the treatment efficacy. VM is a highly prevalent vertigo condition and its typical symptoms (headache, vestibular symptoms, cochlear symptoms) mimic those of MD. Furthermore, the misdiagnosis in MD and VM could lead to VM patients mistakenly receiving the traumatic treatment protocol designed for MD, and sustaining unnecessary damage to the inner ear. Fortunately, thanks to the advances in examination technologies, the barriers to their differentiation are being gradually removed. These advances enhance the diagnostic accuracy of vertigo diseases, especially VM and MD. This review focused on the differentiation of VM and MD, with an attempt to synthesize existing data on the relevant battery of differentiation diagnosis (covering core symptoms, auxiliary tests [audiometry, vestibular tests, endolymphatic hydrops tests]) and longitudinal follow-up. Since the two illnesses are overlapped in all aspects, no single test is sufficiently specific on its own, however, patterns containing all or at least some features boost specificity.

Confrontation of endolymphatic hydrops diagnosis on 3-Tesla MRI to clinical and audiovestibular findings in Meniere's disease

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare different MRI diagnostic criteria for endolymphatic hydrops (EH) and to investigate the relation between audiovestibular and MRI findings in Meniere's disease (MD).

Materials and methods

Prospective cross-sectional cohort study in 2 referral centers included 76 patients with unilateral (n = 62) or bilateral (n = 14) MD. All patients underwent inner ear 3T-MRI 4 h (n = 52) or >24H (n = 24) following audiovestibular tests. T2-CISS and 3D-FLAIR images 4H after gadolinium were obtained. EH diagnosis was based on saccular morphology on coronal views (T2 and 3D-FLAIR), semi quantitative estimation of endolymphatic space enlargement, and saccule utricle ratio inversion (SURI) on 3D-FLAIR axial views.

Results

SURI was the best criterion related to the disease side (43 SURI+ on symptomatic ears, n = 77, vs. 6 SURI+ on asymptomatic ears, n = 53, p < 0.0001, Chi-2). Same-day MRI revealed relation between EH, hearing loss and caloric weakness which could not be detected on delayed MRI: SURI was associated with a higher pure-tone average (43 ± 4.1 dB in SURI+ ears, n = 42 vs. 23 ± 2.6 SURI-, n = 62, p < 0.0001, unpaired t-test,), and a higher proportion of vestibular caloric weakness (23/46 SURI+ ears vs. 4/62 SURI-, p < 0.001, Chi-2). Among all criteria, SURI combined to caloric weakness was the best predictor of the affected side in a logistic regression model.

Conclusion

SURI had the strongest relation to the side the disease and audio vestibular findings for unilateral, probable and definite meniere disease. A short delay between MRI and audio vestibular tests improved the coherence between the findings.

Pathophysiology and Therapy of Associated Features of Migraine

Migraine is a complex and debilitating disorder that is broadly recognised by its characteristic headache. However, given the wide array of clinical presentations in migraineurs, the headache might not represent the main troublesome symptom and it can even go unnoticed. Understanding migraines exclusively as a pain process is simplistic and certainly hinders management. We describe the mechanisms behind some of the most disabling associated symptoms of migraine, including the relationship between the central and peripheral processes that take part in nausea, osmophobia, phonophobia, vertigo and allodynia. The rationale for the efficacy of the current therapeutic arsenal is also depicted in this article. The associated symptoms to migraine, apart from the painful component, are frequent, under-recognised and can be more deleterious than the headache itself. The clinical anamnesis of a headache patient should enquire about the associated symptoms, and treatment should be considered and individualised. Acknowledging the associated symptoms as a fundamental part of migraine has permitted a deeper and more coherent comprehension of the pathophysiology of migraine.

Development and Validation of the Predictive Model for the Differentiation between Vestibular Migraine and Meniere's Disease

(1) Background: Vestibular migraine (VM) and Meniere’s disease (MD) share multiple features in terms of clinical presentations and auditory-vestibular dysfunctions, e.g., vertigo, hearing loss, and headache. Therefore, differentiation between VM and MD is of great significance. (2) Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 110 patients with VM and 110 patients with MD. We at first established a regression equation by using logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predicted value (PV), and negative PV of screened parameters were assessed and intuitively displayed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve). Then, two visualization tools, i.e., nomograph and applet, were established for convenience of clinicians. Furthermore, other patients with VM or MD were recruited to validate the power of the equation by ROC curve and the Gruppo Italiano per la Valutazione degli Interventi in Terapia Intensiva (GiViTI) calibration belt. (3) Results: The clinical manifestations and auditory-vestibular functions could help differentiate VM from MD, including attack frequency (X5), phonophobia (X13), electrocochleogram (ECochG) (X18), head-shaking test (HST) (X23), ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (o-VEMP) (X27), and horizontal gain of vestibular autorotation test (VAT) (X30). On the basis of statistically significant parameters screened by Chi-square test and multivariable double logistic regression analysis, we established a regression equation: P = 1/[1 + e^{−(−2.269× X5 − 2.395× X13 + 2.141× X18 + 3.949 × X23 + 2.798× X27 − 4.275× X30(1) − 5.811× X30(2) + 0.873)}] (P, predictive value; e, natural logarithm). Nomographs and applets were used to visualize our result. After validation, the prediction model showed good discriminative power and calibrating power. (4) Conclusions: Our study suggested that a diagnostic algorithm based on available clinical features and an auditory-vestibular function regression equation is clinically effective and feasible as a differentiating tool and could improve the differential diagnosis between VM and MD.

Hydropic Ear Disease: Correlation Between Audiovestibular Symptoms, Endolymphatic Hydrops and Blood-Labyrinth Barrier Impairment

Research Objective: To investigate the correlation between clinical features and MRI-confirmed endolymphatic hydrops (EH) and blood-labyrinth barrier (BLB) impairment. Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Setting: Vertigo referral center (Haga Teaching Hospital, The Hague, the Netherlands). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients that underwent 4 h-delayed Gd-enhanced 3D FLAIR MRI at our institution from February 2017 to March 2019. Perilymphatic enhancement and the degree of cochlear and vestibular hydrops were assessed. The signal intensity ratio (SIR) was calculated by region of interest analysis. Correlations between MRI findings and clinical features were evaluated. Results: Two hundred and fifteen patients with MRI-proven endolymphatic hydrops (EH) were included (179 unilateral, 36 bilateral) with a mean age of 55.9 yrs and median disease duration of 4.3 yrs. Hydrops grade is significantly correlated with disease duration (P < 0.001), the severity of low- and high-frequency hearing loss (both P < 0.001), and the incidence of drop attacks (P = 0.001). Visually increased perilymphatic enhancement was present in 157 (87.7%) subjects with unilateral EH. SIR increases in correlation with hydrops grade (P < 0.001), but is not significantly correlated with the low or high Fletcher index (P = 0.344 and P = 0.178 respectively). No significant differences were found between the degree of EH or BLB impairment and vertigo, tinnitus or aural fullness. Conclusion: The degree of EH positively correlates with disease duration, hearing loss and the incidence of drop attacks. The BLB is impaired in association with EH grade, but without clear contribution to the severity of audiovestibular symptoms.