Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving each semicircular canal

Hong, Seok Min; Park, Dong Choon; Yeo, Seung Geun; Cha, Chang Il

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2007.07.004

« Previous Next »American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 29, Issue 3 , Pages 184-187, May 2008

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving each semicircular canal

Seok Min Hong, MD, PhD
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
Dong Choon Park, MD, PhD
- Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Catholic University, Suwon, South Korea
Seung Geun Yeo, MD, PhD
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
- Corresponding author. Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-702, Korea. Tel.: +82 2 958 8474; fax: +82 2 958 8470.
Chang Il Cha, MD, PhD
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea

Received 5 April 2007 published online 17 March 2008.

Abstract

Purpose

We have investigated vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) as a function of age and the involvement of each of the 3 semicircular canals in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

Materials and methods

We performed prospective assessment from January 2005 to September 2006. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential was measured in 53 patients with BPPV and 84 healthy subjects, with the latter subdivided by patient age.

Results

The subgroup of healthy subjects older than 60 years showed significantly more prolonged p13 and n23 latencies and lower amplitude than the other 2 subgroups. Of the 53 patients with BPPV, 13 (24.5%) showed abnormal VEMP responses on the affected side when compared with their age-related control subgroup. There was no correlation between VEMP findings and the affected semicircular canal.

Conclusion

Patients with BPPV may show abnormal VEMP findings, irrespective of the involved semicircular canal, and age was associated with VEMP results suggesting degeneration of the maculae of the saccule.