title: Prevalence and clinical significance of spontaneous low-frequency air-bone gaps in Ménière's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The prevalence and clinical significance of spontaneous low-frequency air-bone gaps (LFABGs) in Ménière's disease were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred thirty-seven patients with definite Ménière's disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of LFABG in this population was calculated, and the following parameters were analyzed: 1) changes in hearing thresholds after the resolution of LFABG; 2) correlation between LFABG and electrocochleography (ECoG) results; 3) changes in the number of vertigo spells after the resolution of LFABG; 4) correlation between LFABG and canal paresis (CP) values in caloric testing; and 5) the difference in the prognoses of patients with and without LFABG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of LFABG was 13.9%. Patients' hearing thresholds were significantly decreased after the resolution of LFABG (from 49.4 ± 16.8 to 38.3 ± 19.3, p = 0.044), whereas the summating potential and action potential ratio in ECoG tended to increase as LFABG increased (R = 0.09, p = 0.03). The mean number of vertigo spells was significantly reduced after the resolution of LFABG (from 2.9 to 0.5, p < 0.0001), but CP did not correlate with LFABG. The prognosis was not different for patients with and without LFABG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of vertigo spells and hearing thresholds were significantly higher during the period of LFABG development. Although the prognostic importance of LFABG was not significant, it likely reflects the aggravation of the endolymphatic hydrops in the cochlear and vestibular compartments and may be useful for evaluating and treating patients with Ménière's disease.
authors: *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; and †Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ilsan Paik Hospital, Inje University, College of Medicine. Koyang-shi, Kyounggi-do, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyun Jin
authors: HJ
authors: Lee
authors: Ju Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Jeon
authors: Sera
authors: S
authors: Park
authors: Bo Gyung
authors: BG
authors: Kim
authors: Won-Sang
authors: WS
authors: Lee
authors: Sung Huhn
authors: SH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D002150:Caloric Tests; D003051:Cochlea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome