Laryngorhinootologie 2024; 103(S 02): S287
DOI: 10.1055/s-0044-1784959
Abstracts │ DGHNOKHC
Otology/Neurootology/Audiology: Neurootology/Vertigo

To what extent is hearing loss contributing to quality-of-life impairment in Menière's patients?

Sophia Gantner
1   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, München
,
Friedrich Ihler
2   Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenkrankheiten, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Greifswald
,
Ralf Strobl
3   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Medizinische Fakultät, Institut für Medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie, München
,
Andreas Zwergal
4   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Deutsches Schwindel- und Gleichgewichtszentrum, München
,
Martin Canis
1   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, München
,
Joachim Müller
1   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, München
,
Daniel Polterauer
1   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, München
,
Jennifer Spiegel
1   Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde, München
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Introduction Menière´s Disease (MD) is characterized by vertigo attacks, low-frequency hearing loss (HL) and fluctuating aural symptoms. Current treatment concepts for MD focus on stabilizing the quality-of-life impairing vertigo. Hearing rehabilitation is often secondary. The presented study investigated the impact of hearing loss on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functionality in daily life activities.

Methods Data was extracted from the prospective patient registry of the German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders. Functionality was measured with the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and European Quality of Life 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D). Patients were categorized according to the diagnostic criteria of the Bárány Society into definite and probable MD. Influence of the pure tone average of the frequencies 0.5, 1, 2 kHz (PTAlow), staging of hearing loss of the WHO (0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz=PTAWHO), and MD-category of the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium Research (CHE) on HRQoL and functionality were analyzed via biavariate correlations.

Results No correlation was found for 109 patients between DHI-subdomains and PTAlow, MD-categories of the Bárány Society, or the CHE. Significantly stronger impairment was found in the EQ-5D subdomain "subjective handicap" for DMD patients for "participation" in daily life activities (p=0.015) and "walking" (p=0.041).

Conclusions Influence of hearing loss on HRQoL and functionality of MD patients was not significant. Nevertheless, binaural hearing is paramount to spatial hearing and thus, the necessity for hearing rehabilitation in MD-patients should not be underestimated.



Publication History

Article published online:
19 April 2024

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