Does Meniere’s Disease Really Increase Traveling Wave Velocity of the Basilar Membrane? Estimation with Frequency-Specific Electrocochleography*

Materials and Methods: This prospective study included three groups, 38 patients with Meniere’s disease (41 ears), 30 patients with cochlear hearing loss other than Meniere’s disease (40 ears) and 25 healthy subjects (40 ears). Tympanic membrane ECoG (click and tone-burst evoked) and caloric test were performed. Forty one ears with Meniere’s disease were categorized into definite (28 ears) and probable Meniere patients (13 ears) based on recommendation of the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Summation potential (SP) / action potential (AP) ratio and AP latency difference for 0.5 kHz and 2 kHz were measured in click and tone-burst evoked ECoG. In caloric test, unilateral weakness was sought. The patients were then further stratified based on abnormal SP/AP ratio and presence of UW. AP latency difference was compared among the groups and subgroups (based on SP/AP ratio and presence of UW).