[The peculiar features of the clinical course of Meniere's disease associated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo].

AIM: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the frequency of occurrence and clinical features of vertigo spells in the patients presenting with Ménière's disease (MD) associated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

METHODS: A total of 104 patients with MD were available for the observation. All of them underwent the comprehensive examination that included the audiological study and vestibular tests, such as the Dix-Hallpike test and the roll-test for BPPV diagnostics. A structured questionnaire was used to calculate the average number of vertigo spells per month during the period of 6 months and the mean duration of the vertigo spells; the presence or the absence of changes in hearing ability during the spells as well as the severity of vertigo were determined with the use of the 10-point visual analogue scale.

RESULTS: The patients suffering from BPPV associated with Meniere's disease presented with the following clinical features which distinguished them from the patients with idiopathic BPPV (p<0.05): (1) a higher percentage of female patients; (2) a longer duration of clinical symptoms; (3) the frequent involvement of the horizontal semicircular canal; (4) a greater incidence of canal paresis; (5) more therapeutic sessions needed for the recovery in conjunction with a higher rate of recurrence.

CONCLUSION: The frequency of association of MD and BPPV was estimated at 14.4%. Such association of MD was more frequently observed in the elderly patients (older than 60 years) (p<0.05). The clinical manifestations of the vertigo spells in the patients having MD associated with BPPV occurred with an enhanced frequency; their mean duration was relatively short due to the presence of both long and short positional vertigo attacks characterized by the absence of hearing changes during the spells and the equal severity of vertigo (p < 0,05).