Seasonal variation in Ménière disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The relationship between seasonal variation and Ménière disease (MD) has not been fully elucidated. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between seasonal patterns and the occurrence of MD.

We systematically searched relevant observational studies in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and major Chinese databases from inception to July 2025. The subjects included in the study were patients with MD. Seasonal occurrence of MD was the primary outcome. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal scale. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Stata 18.0, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I ² statistic.

A total of five observational studies involving 1,001,636 participants were included in the meta-analysis. With summer as the reference, ORs for spring, winter and autumn were 1.03 (95% CI 1.02-1.04), 0.92 (95% CI 0.91-0.93) and 1.04 (95% CI 0.85-1.26), respectively. Subgroup and sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the findings, showing that the overall estimate was not fully driven by one single study.

Our meta-analysis suggests that the occurrence of MD may exhibit seasonal variation across published studies, with seasonal fluctuations characterized by slightly higher occurrence in spring and declining occurrence in winter. The finding may inform patient education and disease management strategies and provide a potential role of environmental factors in the pathophysiology of MD. However, given the limited number of included studies and their geographic concentration in European and Asian populations, further high-quality studies conducted across diverse geographic regions are needed to provide more solid evidence.

PROSPERO, (CRD420261348182).