Abstract
The effects of menopause on equilibrium disorders were studied in 315 women aged 12-89 yr old in Japan. The patients were divided into 3 groups; premenopausal women aged 12-44 yr old (Group 1; n=103), menopausal women aged 45-55 yr old (Group 2; n=64), and postmenopausal women aged 56-83 yrs (Group 3; n=148). As corresponding controls, 178 men aged 14-80 yrs with equilibrium disorders were enrolled. The percentages of each disease were compared among Groups 1, 2 and 3. Furthermore, the percentages were also compared between the women and the men. The percentage of patients with Meniere's disease differed among the women of Groups 1, 2 and 3 (p<0.10). The percentage of patients with Meniere's disease was higher in Group 1 than in Group 3 women (p<0.10). The percentage of patients with sudden deafness was higher in Group 3 women than in the corresponding group 3 of men (p<0.05). The percentage of patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency differed among the women of Groups 1, 2 and 3 (p<0.05), was higher in the Group 3 than the Group 1 women (p<0.05). The percentage of patients with vertigo/dizziness due to unstable blood pressure differed among the women of Groups 1, 2and 3 (p<0.05), was higher in the Group 2 than in the Group 1 (p<0.10) and Group 3 (p<0.10) women. The percentage of patients with Meniere's disease, sudden deafness, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, and vertigo/dizziness due to unstable blood pressure in men did not differ significantly among the corresponding three control groups of men. The results of the comparative study between women and men suggests that menopause might have an effect on the incidence of Meniere's disaese, sudden deafness, vertebrobasilar insufficiency and vertigo/dizziness due to unstable blood pressure.
