Hypersensitivity to inhalants and food in balance disturbances

The prevalence of allergy in patients with Menière's disease was established as approximately 41.6% for inhalants and 26.6% for food. These are elevated values in relation to the prevalence of allergy in the general population, which varies from 9% to 30% for inhalants (in Brazil) and from 1% to 3% for food.

To evaluate the prevalence of type I hypersensitivity reactions to inhalants and food in the patients of the Neurotology Sector of the "Hospital das Clinicas" of the University of São Paulo Medical School and to describe vestibular symptoms of these patients.

Seventy-five patients with imbalance due to peripheral origin were evaluated by a questionnaire for the clinical characterization of the cochleo-vestibular symptoms and underwent the prick test for 13 inhalants and 5 food stuffs.

Twenty-five (33.3%) patients presented positive prick tests and, at least, one food allergen. Four patients presented positive prick tests without allergy symptoms. The prevalence of the complaint of rotatory dizziness was similar among the patients with positive and negative prick tests.

The prevalence of Type I hypersensitivity reactions to inhalants and food in the population evaluated was greater than in the general population. The vestibular symptoms did not differ among the patients with either positive or negative prick tests. However, a larger sample size should be obtained for the data to be more reliable and compared to a control group.