Psychiatric disorders in patients with dizziness and Ménière's disease

The Self-Rating Depression Score (SDS) is a useful metric for identifying patients with possible psychiatric disorders.

A dilemma commonly encountered by otolaryngologists is how to diagnose and treat depression and anxiety disorders in patients who have dizziness or Ménière's disease.

We administered the SDS and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to patients with dizziness (n = 116) or Ménière's disease (n = 22). Overall, 31 and 9 patients, respectively, had SDS ≥ 41. We investigated the correlation between the two questionnaire scores and the relationship between scores and a diagnosis of depression by a psychiatrist.

We referred 12 patients with dizziness and 4 with Ménière's disease to a psychiatrist. The most common psychiatric comorbidities were anxiety disorder and major depression. Overall, 7 of the 12 patients who had dizziness and all 4 patients with Ménière's disease were diagnosed with major depression. Patients with an SDS ≥ 41 and ≥ 11 on the D portion of HADS were likely to be diagnosed with major depression (9 of 11). No psychiatric disorders were diagnosed in patients with an SDS < 41. No specific characteristics were identified by HADS in patients with a psychiatric comorbidity.