Electrolyte Balance of the Blood in Ménière's Disease

Abstract

Mygind and Dederding 1 associated the pathogenesis of Ménière's disease with a disturbance of water and salt equilibria. From their investigations they concluded that a dehydrating and an acid-forming diet was indicated in the treatment of this condition. Two years later Furstenberg, Lashmet and Lathrop 2 extended these observations, showed evidence which indicated that sodium was the offending ion and recommended a regime with a low sodium diet and intermittent periods of ammonium chloride ingestion. This regime, where employed, has been successful, 3 , 4 but we believe from our data that a lowering of the sodium content of the body fluids is not its mode of action.

In this communication blood studies from 14 patients with Ménière's disease are presented. The diagnosis was confirmed by one or more clinicians and satisfied most of the criteria discussed by Crowe. 5 In all of the patients the concentration of serum total base, sodium and potassium was determined and in 4 the concentration of serum protein and hydrogen ion also. Eight patients were seen during periods of acute symptoms and bloods were taken at such times. In 6 patients, bloods were taken after the institution of a low sodium regime or during periods of freedom from symptoms after admission to the hospital. The results are given in Table I. It is observed that the concentrations of serum sodium and total fixed base are within the range for normals. The average concentration of serum sodium is slightly less in the patients with acute symptoms than in those without acute symptoms. The concentration of potassium is somewhat higher in the patients with acute symptoms.