TYMPANIC MEMBRANE TEMPERATURES OF VERTIGINOUS PATIENTS

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the differences between the right and left ear temperatures of patients with vertigo. It also aimed to correlate the results in order to develop definitions for the pathophysiology of the diseases based on the data. Thus, we designed a study to record bilateral tympanic membrane temperatures on 137 vertiginous patients who were seen at our vertigo clinic. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in patients who applied to Istanbul Florence Nightingale Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases Clinic with the complaint of dizziness. After confirming that there was no abnormality in the otoscopic examination, the temperature of both ears were measured with a thermometer, prior to the vestibular examination being carried out in the vestibular laboratory with the presumptive diagnosis of true vertigo. The data recorded include the patient's demographic information, examination findings, and the results obtained from the vestibular laboratory. Mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, maximum value frequency, and percentage were used for descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 137 patients were included in the study. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was observed between pathologic Side and other Side measurements in the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) group, Ménière's disease group, or vestibulopathy group. Nystagmus at presentation in the group without otologic pathology, i.e. those patients without overt vestibular pathology, was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in the BPPV, Meniere's, or vestibulopathy groups. Conclusion: Our study failed to disclose any significant difference of tympanic membrane temperatures in patients with vertiginous complaints.