Allergic management of Meniere's disease: An outcome study

The effect of allergy immunotherapy and elimination of suspected food aller gens was evaluated in patients with Meniere's disease. A total of 137 patie nts with Meniere's disease for whom allergy treatment had been recommended were identified and were mailed and returned a symptoms questionnaire. One hundred thirteen had received allergy treatment; 24 did not have treatment and served as a control group. Information regarding history, signs and sym ptoms, allergy test results, and audiologic data were obtained by chart rev iew. The 113 patients treated with desensitization and diet showed a signif icant improvement from pretreatment to posttreatment in both allergy and Me niere's symptoms. Ratings of frequency, severity, and interference with eve ryday activities of their Meniere's symptoms also appeared better after all ergy treatment than ratings from the control group of untreated patients. V ertigo control results, by use of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-He ad and Neck Surgery classification, categorized 47.9% as class A or B. Hear ing was stable or improved in 61.4%. Patients with Meniere's disease can sh ow improvement in their symptoms of tinnitus and vertigo when receiving spe cific allergy therapy. The inner ear may be the target, directly or indirec tly, of an allergic reaction.