Biomaterial Database

Lermoyez syndrome revisited: 100-year mystery. 2018

Keng-Chung Shen, and Yi-Ho Young

a Department of Otolaryngology , National Taiwan University Hospital , Taipei , Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE This study revisited seven patients with Lermoyez syndrome over the past 25 years using an inner ear test battery to elucidate its mechanism. METHODS From 1992 to 2017, we have experienced 4096 patients with Meniere's disease (MD) and seven patients (5 males and 2 females, 8 ears) with Lermoyez syndrome. Two of the Lermoyez patients were elderly, aged 71 and 85 years. An inner ear test battery comprising audiometry, ocular and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP and cVEMP) tests, and caloric test were performed. RESULTS Significant improvement of mean hearing levels (MHLs) was identified at low and middle frequencies after vertiginous attack, but not at high frequencies. Inner ear deficits in Lermoyez patients ran from abnormal hearing (100%) to abnormal cVEMP (43%), caloric (38%) and oVEMP (0) tests, exhibiting a significantly declining sequence. This declining sequence differed from that in MD. CONCLUSIONS Lermoyez syndrome is extremely rare, with prevalence relative to MD of 0.2%. The mechanism is considered as blockage in the ductus reuniens caused by dislodged saccular otoconia. Aging and trauma are two precipitating factors for the dislodged saccular otoconia, which may explain why Lermoyez syndrome occurs most frequently in males and some elderly.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008575	Meniere Disease	A disease of the inner ear (LABYRINTH) that is characterized by fluctuating SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS; TINNITUS; episodic VERTIGO; and aural fullness. It is the most common form of endolymphatic hydrops.	Meniere's Disease,Meniere's Syndrome,Vertigo, Aural,Auditory Vertigo,Aural Vertigo,Ménière Disease,Ménière's Disease,Ménière's Vertigo,Otogenic Vertigo,Auditory Vertigos,Disease, Meniere,Disease, Meniere's,Disease, Ménière,Disease, Ménière's,Diseases, Ménière,Diseases, Ménière's,Meniere Syndrome,Menieres Disease,Menieres Syndrome,Ménière Diseases,Ménière Vertigo,Ménière's Diseases,Ménière's Vertigos,Ménières Disease,Ménières Vertigo,Otogenic Vertigos,Syndrome, Meniere's,Vertigo, Auditory,Vertigo, Ménière's,Vertigo, Otogenic,Vertigos, Auditory,Vertigos, Ménière's,Vertigos, Otogenic
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010037	Otolithic Membrane	A gelatinous membrane overlying the acoustic maculae of SACCULE AND UTRICLE. It contains minute crystalline particles (otoliths) of CALCIUM CARBONATE and protein on its outer surface. In response to head movement, the otoliths shift causing distortion of the vestibular hair cells which transduce nerve signals to the BRAIN for interpretation of equilibrium.	Otoconia,Otoliths,Statoconia,Membrane, Otolithic,Membranes, Otolithic,Otoconias,Otolith,Otolithic Membranes,Statoconias
D002150	Caloric Tests	Elicitation of a rotatory nystagmus by stimulating the semicircular canals with water or air which is above or below body temperature. In warm caloric stimulation a rotatory nystagmus is developed toward the side of the stimulated ear; in cold, away from the stimulated side. Absence of nystagmus indicates the labyrinth is not functioning.	Barany Test,Barany's Test,Baranys Test,Caloric Test,Test, Barany,Test, Barany's,Test, Caloric,Tests, Caloric
D003937	Diagnosis, Differential	Determination of which one of two or more diseases or conditions a patient is suffering from by systematically comparing and contrasting results of diagnostic measures.	Diagnoses, Differential,Differential Diagnoses,Differential Diagnosis
D005260	Female		Females
D005500	Follow-Up Studies	Studies in which individuals or populations are followed to assess the outcome of exposures, procedures, or effects of a characteristic, e.g., occurrence of disease.	Followup Studies,Follow Up Studies,Follow-Up Study,Followup Study,Studies, Follow-Up,Studies, Followup,Study, Follow-Up,Study, Followup
D006785	Hospitals, University	Hospitals maintained by a university for the teaching of medical students, postgraduate training programs, and clinical research.	University Hospitals
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man