Decrease in atmospheric pressure could increase endolymphatic space volume in Meniere’s disease

Patients with Meniere's disease (MD) often suffer from vertiginous symptoms during bad weather. Endolymphatic hydrops (EH) have been thought to be the pathological basis of MD. However, the relationship between EH and weather has not been clarified. Endolymphatic space (ELS) volume can be evaluated using three-dimensional analysis of 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (3T-MRI) after intravenous injection of gadolinium enhancement. In this study, we examined the correlations between the 24-h atmospheric pressure change from the day before, that is, MRI scanning, and the ELS rates of the unilateral MD (uMD) and patients with chronic rhinosinusitis as a control group. Atmospheric pressure data for the day before and on the day of each patient's MRI were obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency data (JMA). There was no significant correlation between the atmospheric pressure change and the ELS rate on the affected and healthy sides or bilaterally in the control group. However, in those with developed MD (average hearing levels in the affected ear of 40-70 dB), a significant negative correlation was found between atmospheric pressure change and vestibular ELS rate on the affected side. Negative atmospheric pressure changes may influence vestibular ELS volume in patients with moderate hearing impairment.