Impact of bilaterality and headache on health-related quality of life in Meniere's disease.
OBJECTIVE
We analyzed the impact of bilaterality and headache on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with Meniere's disease (MD).


METHODS
A case series including 86 patients with a diagnosis of definite MD according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) diagnostic criteria was evaluated by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Instrument and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory Short Form (DHI-S).


RESULTS
The scores on all scales of the SF-36 were significantly lower for bilateral MD than for unilateral cases, except for body pain. Both groups had scores worse than those of their sex- and age-matched normative population on all SF-36 scales (p = 0.017 to p = 0.0001), except for body pain in men. The DHI-S scores were also better for unilateral than for bilateral cases (p = 0.04), suggesting that the dizziness is perceived to be more disabling in bilateral MD. Migraine was significantly associated with bilateral MD (odds ratio, 3.58 [95% confidence interval, 1.25 to 10.31]; p = 0.021). Headache and score on the AAO-HNS functional scale, which evaluates the effect of vertigo attacks on daily activities, were two independent factors that explained a great part of the variability on all SF-36 scales, except for "role emotional" in bilateral MD.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with bilateral MD perceived their dizziness to be more disabling and had a worse HRQL than did patients with unilateral MD. Migraine was more frequently found in patients with bilateral involvement. Headache and score on the AAO-HNS functional scale were factors associated with the HRQL in bilateral MD.
Lopez-Escamez
Jose A
JA
Otology and Neurotology Group CTS495, Dept of Otolaryngology, Hospital de Poniente de Almeria, Ctra de Almerimar s/n, 04700 El Ejido, Almería, Spain.
Viciana
David
D
Garrido-Fernandez
Pablo
P
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D020773:Headache Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors