High prevalence of sleep disorders in Ménière’s disease: Interplay between vestibular function and sleep

Background In Ménière’s disease (MD), impaired sleep worsens the quality of life and triggers episodes, perpetuating a vicious cycle. The intricate connection between vestibular function and sleep regulation is poorly understood. Objective We aimed to investigate this link by studying sleep in confirmed MD patients. Methods In a single-center observational study, 26 consecutive patients with MD were enrolled. Sleep characterization included thorough symptom inquiry, questionnaires (PSQI, ESS, PFS, STOP-Bang, and AAO-HNS), and respiratory polygraphy (RP) or polysomnography (PSG). Results Despite 42% of patients reporting overall sleep satisfaction, further inquiry revealed 76% experiencing sleep disturbances per PSQI. STOP-Bang indicated 56% with a moderate-to-severe risk of OSAS. OSAS defined by apnea hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5/h was present in 75%. OSAS severity was categorized as mild (5/h ≤ AHI < 15/h, 33%), moderate (15/h ≤ AHI < 30/h, 21%), and severe (AHI ≥ 30/h, 21%). In patients with AAO-HNS score >3, migraines and insomnia were more prevalent. Patients with moderate-to-severe OSAS had poorer hearing. All recently diagnosed patients with moderate-to-severe OSAS had undergone more than one medical treatment compared to others (32%). Conclusions The high prevalence of sleep disorders in MD patients underscores the need for thorough screening, even without spontaneous complaints. Instrumental sleep exploration via RP or PSG is essential, as OSAS treatment could aid vestibular function.