title: Otologic manifestations of Chiari I malformation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of otologic symptoms in patients undergoing surgical decompression for symptomatic Chiari I malformation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, prospective, nonrandomized.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with Chiari I malformation before surgical intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of completed questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen consecutive patients with Chiari I malformation completed the self-administered questionnaire. Eighty-one percent of patients reported episodic aural fullness, 81% reported tinnitus, 69% reported vertigo, and 56% reported fluctuating hearing loss. Headaches were reported as frequently as aural fullness and tinnitus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients with Chiari I malformation have symptoms that mimic primary otologic pathologic changes. The existence of common pathophysiologic mechanisms is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, State University of New York-Health Science Center at Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York 11203, USA.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Sperling
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Milhorat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001139:Arnold-Chiari Malformation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis*