ABLATION OF LUTEAL-PHASE SYMPTOMS OF MENIERES-DISEASE WITH LEUPROLIDE

Symptoms of Meniere's disease in women may be exacerbated during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. This suggests a role for progesterone production and subsequent fluid redistribution as a predisposing factor for Meniere's symptoms. We report the use of leuprolide acetate, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, in a woman with cyclic Meniere's symptoms. This drug, which abolishes gonadotropin-dependent ovarian sex steroid production, alleviated the patient's symptoms during therapy. This observation offers further support to the hypothesis of sex hormone-related exacerbations of Meniere's symptoms and provides a possible future treatment option for this debilitating disease.