2. Academic Validation
  3. Hearing function after betahistine therapy in patients with Ménière's disease

Hearing function after betahistine therapy in patients with Ménière's disease

  • Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2016 Sep-Oct;82(5):500-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2015.08.021.
Seyed Javad Seyed Tootoonchi 1,  Samad Ghiasi 1,  Parvaneh Shadara 1,  Simin Mirakhor Samani 2,  Daniel Fadaei Fouladi 3
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Imam Reza Teaching Center, Department of ENT, Tabriz, Iran.
  • 2 Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz, Iran.
  • 3 Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 26810620 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2015.08.021
Abstract

Introduction: Preventing or reversing hearing loss is challenging in Ménière's disease. Betahistine, as a histamine agonist, has been tried in controlling vertigo in patients with Ménière's disease, but its effectiveness on hearing problems is not known.

Objective: To examine the effect of betahistine on hearing function in not-previously-treated patients with Ménière's disease and to define possible contributors in this regard.

Methods: A total of 200 not-previously-treated patients with definite unilateral Ménière's disease received betahistine by mouth (initial dose, 16mg three times a day; maintenance dose, 24-48mg daily in divided doses). Changes in indicators of hearing status before and six months after treatment were documented. Hearing loss was considered as the mean hearing level >25dB HL at five frequencies.

Results: The mean duration of disease was 3.37 years. Six months after treatment the mean hearing level decreased by 6.35dB compared to that at the baseline (p<0.001). Both patients' age and the duration of disease correlated negatively with the improvement in hearing function. Post treatment hearing loss was independently associated with age, the initial hearing level and the chronicity of disease. The corresponding optimal cut-off points for predicating a persistent hearing loss 6 months after treatment were 47 years, 38dB HL, and 1.4 years, respectively.

Conclusion: Oral betahistine was significantly effective in preventing/reversing hearing deterioration in patients with Ménière's disease. Age, the hearing level on admission, and the disease duration were independent predictors of hearing status after treatment.

Keywords

Doença de Ménière; Hearing loss; Medical treatment; Ménière's disease; Perda de audição; Prognosis; Prognóstico; Tratamento médico.

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