title: Hypersensitivity to inhalants and food in balance disturbances.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of allergy in patients with Menière's disease was established as approximately 41.6% for inhalants and 26.6% for food. These are elevated values in relation to the prevalence of allergy in the general population, which varies from 9% to 30% for inhalants (in Brazil) and from 1% to 3% for food.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of type I hypersensitivity reactions to inhalants and food in the patients of the Neurotology Sector of the "Hospital das Clinicas" of the University of São Paulo Medical School and to describe vestibular symptoms of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-five patients with imbalance due to peripheral origin were evaluated by a questionnaire for the clinical characterization of the cochleo-vestibular symptoms and underwent the prick test for 13 inhalants and 5 food stuffs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five (33.3%) patients presented positive prick tests and, at least, one food allergen. Four patients presented positive prick tests without allergy symptoms. The prevalence of the complaint of rotatory dizziness was similar among the patients with positive and negative prick tests.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of Type I hypersensitivity reactions to inhalants and food in the population evaluated was greater than in the general population. The vestibular symptoms did not differ among the patients with either positive or negative prick tests. However, a larger sample size should be obtained for the data to be more reliable and compared to a control group.
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas of the School of Medicine of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. erikacisi@globo.com
authors.forename: E Domingues
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Cisi
authors.forename: Bittar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: R Saraiva Moreira
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferreira de Mello
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D007428:Intradermal Tests; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000485:Allergens