Furosemide loading vestibular evoked myogenic potential for unilateral Ménière's disease.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether endolymphatic hydrops in Ménière's Disease could be diagnosed by comparing vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) before and after furosemide administration (F-VEMP).

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

University hospital.

INTERVENTION: Furosemide administration.

PATIENTS: Twenty-five affected ears of patients with unilateral Ménière's Disease were studied. The patients had received confirmed diagnoses Ménière's Disease; thus, the presence of endolymphatic hydrops was suggested. For the control, 22 ears of 11 normal healthy volunteers who had never had vertigo or hearing disturbance were used.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The amplitude of the p13-n23 biphasic wave before and after furosemide administration.

RESULTS

The amplitude of the p13-n23 biphasic wave was significantly enlarged in 7 of 18 cases in which it could be detected before diuretic loading. The biphasic waves appeared after diuretic loading in 3 of 7 cases in which it could not be recorded before loading. Thus, the positive ratio of F-VEMP for unilateral Ménière's Disease was considered to be 40% (10 of 25). The ratio was similar to that of the conventional examinations for endolymphatic hydrops such as the glycerol test, furosemide test, and electrocochleogram.

CONCLUSION

The F-VEMP test may be useful in the diagnosis of endolymphatic hydrops.