Effect of standard-dose Betahistine on endolymphatic hydrops: an MRI pilot study.

Abstract

This study aimed to assess whether standard-dose Betahistine (48 mg daily) exerts an effect upon the degree of endolymphatic hydrops in patients with Menière's disease using a retrospective case series in the setting of a tertiary neurotology referral centre. In six patients with definite unilateral Menière's disease, the degree of cochlear and vestibular endolymphatic hydrops was assessed before and after treatment with a standard dose of Betahistine (48 mg daily), using high-resolution 3 T MR imaging after intratympanic contrast medium application. The treatment duration was 3-7 months (mean 5 months), and the patients were followed-up for 6-29 months (mean 11 months). In the study cohort, the standard dose of Betahistine did not have an MR morphologically measurable beneficial effect on the degree of endolymphatic hydrops. The results indicated no effect of standard-dose Betahistine on endolymphatic hydrops found on high-resolution MR imaging. Possible explanations are: (1) insufficient dosage or duration of treatment with betahistine, (2) insufficient resolution of the MR imaging technique, and (3) insufficient length of follow-up. Further studies addressing these issues are warranted.

• Authors: R Gürkov, W Flatz, D Keeser, M Strupp, B Ertl-Wagner, E Krause
• Journal: European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery (Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol) Vol. 270 Issue 4 Pg. 1231-5 (Mar 2013) ISSN: 1434-4726 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 22760844 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Contrast Media
• gadodiamide
• Gadolinium DTPA
• Betahistine

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Audiometry, Pure-Tone
• Betahistine (therapeutic use)
• Cohort Studies
• Contrast Media
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Endolymphatic Hydrops (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Female
• Gadolinium DTPA
• Humans
• Image Enhancement
• Imaging, Three-Dimensional
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Meniere Disease (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Middle Aged
• Pilot Projects
• Retrospective Studies
• Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (drug effects)
• Vestibule, Labyrinth (drug effects)