Serum vitamin D level and its association with vertigo frequency and severity in Meniere disease

Meniere disease, known for its vertigo episodes and aural symptoms, can impose significant burden on patients. Vitamin D is hypothesized to have an alleviating effect on Meniere disease symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the association between vertigo characteristics and serum vitamin D levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted on patients referred for enrollment in an ongoing Randomized Clinical Trial. Patients' pre-randomization and allocation, baseline characteristics and information were gathered through interviews and forms, with a specific focus on their vertigo episode characteristics (frequency, severity, handicap). 105 patients were included in this study. All vertigo characteristics (frequency, severity, and DHI) had higher mean and median values (except for the functional DHI subtype) in patients with hypovitaminosis D compared to those with normal vitamin D serum levels. Comparisons of vertigo frequency (<0.001), severity (< 0.001) and all DHI subtypes (functional P value = 0.041, emotional P value = 0.041, physical P value = 0.015) showed significant variability between patients with normal and lower levels of serum vitamin D. Modeling further demonstrated a possible relation of lower levels of serum vitamin D with both vertigo frequency (vitamin D 20-29 ng/mL,3-15 vertigo, P-value = 0.019) and severity (vitamin D < 20 ng/mL, P value 0.022). Vertigo episodes in Meniere patients show great variability, both in frequency and severity. This study showed possible correlations between lower levels of vitamin D and higher frequencies, severities and imposed handicap by vertigo episodes for Meniere patients. Family history of Meniere disease might have a protective effect on patients' vertigo.