Long-term disability of class A patients with Ménière's disease after treatment with intratympanic gentamicin.

OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to characterize the residual vestibular symptoms and disability in patients with Ménière's disease who had achieved complete control of vertigo through intratympanic gentamicin treatment. Furthermore, we assessed whether the Functional Level Score prior to treatment reflected the posttreatment symptoms and disability.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective.

SETTING: Tertiary medical center.

PATIENTS: This study involved 103 patients with Ménière's disease treated with intratympanic gentamicin who, after a long-term follow up, have not suffered new vertigo spells and were not subject to any major modification in their treatment.

METHODS: At inclusion and at the last follow-up visit after a minimum of 3 years of ending the treatment, the clinical status (number of vertigo spells), the unsteadiness as well as the disability produced by the disease, symptoms of anxiety, and compensation were asked using specific questionnaires. The results before and after treatment were analyzed using nonparametric tests.

RESULTS: After a 5-year follow-up, complete control of vertigo was obtained in 81% of the patients with Ménière's disease who were treated with intratympanic gentamicin. Of them, 15.5% still complained of unsteadiness. A functional level of 6 or unsteadiness after treatment are related with a nonreduction in disability after long-term control of vertigo spells.

CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of gentamicin administered intratympanically is high after long-term follow-up as shown by the disappearance of vertigo spells and by the reduction in disability, increase in perception of quality of life, and reduction in anxiety related to vestibular symptoms. Unsteadiness, although an infrequent complaint, determines a level of almost similar severity in those issues. Special care must be taken with patients with a Functional Level Scale score of 6 at the time of beginning treatment.