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Short communication

Vol. 140 No. 3940 (2010)

Meniere’s disease and the use of proton pump inhibitors

  • A Pirodda
  • GC Modugno
  • L Manzari
  • MC Raimondi
  • C Brandolini
  • GG Ferri
  • C Borghi
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2010.13104
Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2010;140:w13104
Published
27.09.2010

Summary

PRINCIPLES:On the basis of previous observations we examined the possibility of a favourable effect of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) on Meniere’s disease (MD). A preliminary step was made by retrospectively analysing the number of menieric crises in a group of patients suffering from MD and using PPI for other reasons as compared to a group of menieric subjects who had never used PPI.

METHODS:Between January 2001 and December 2006, 42 patients affected by MD were examined in the tertiary referral centre at the University Hospital of Bologna, Italy and in the private office of an ENT specialist in Cassino, Italy. Within the study group, 18 patients had used PPI for various reasons for at least 12 consecutive months, whilst 24 patients had never been prescribed them.

We recorded the number of menieric crises reported in the observation period. The mean follow-up period was 21.9 months. Statistical analysis was performed by means of the x 2 test and significance was defined when p<0.05.

RESULTS:Most of MD patients (72%) using PPI suffered less than one episode of menieric crisis/year. On the other hand patients who had never used a PPI, experienced considerably more episodes only 16.7% having less than one crisis per year. This difference was statistically significant (p<0, 001).

CONCLUSIONS: Even taking the limitations of this retrospective study into account the reported data nevertheless strongly suggest a possible role for proton pumps in the pathogenesis of MD. This could lead to interesting developments and contribute to a better definition of MD and the therapeutic possibilities.

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