The clinical characteristics and anatomical variations in patients with intractable unilateral Meniere's disease with and without migraine.

Background: Migraine is more common in Meniere's disease patients, who have some certain anatomical variations. But there are limited studies focusing on the anatomical variations in patients with Meniere's disease and migraine.

Objective: To explore the clinical and anatomical features in Meniere's disease patients with and without migraine, determining whether the coexistence of migraine can be used as a basis for clinical subtyping of Meniere's disease.

Methods: Ninety-five Meniere's disease patients and ninety-five healthy subjects matched with age, sex were selected. A detailed questionnaire based on the diagnosis criteria of Meniere's disease and migraine was designed. According to the CT scan, we divided the mastoid cell system of all the subjects into two types: well-pneumatization type and poor-pneumatization type. Meanwhile, the shortest distance between the sigmoid sinus and the posterior wall of the external acoustic canal was measured.

Results: Compared with those without migraine, Meniere's disease patients with migraine had a higher female comorbidity, poorer mastoid pneumatization, shorter distance between the sigmoid sinus and posterior wall of the external acoustic canal, longer history, higher frequency of vertigo attacks and better average hearing threshold.

Conclusions: In our study, anatomical features as well as several clinical manifestations were proved to differ significantly between Meniere's disease patients with and without migraine, indicating the coexistence of migraine may be one standard for the clinical subtyping of Meniere's disease.