Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and health-related quality of life in patients with vestibular neuritis.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the usefulness of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) in subjects with vestibular neuritis (VN) and to determine the impact of the disease in health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

STUDY

DESIGN

Case series.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS: Fifty patients with VN (episode of sudden onset of prolonged vertigo [>24 h] associated with peripheral vestibular hypofunction, imbalance in absence of hearing loss, or other neurologic symptoms).

INTERVENTION: VEMPs were measured in 41 patients by using an air-conducted 500 Hz tone burst. HRQoL was evaluated in all cases by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Dizziness Handicap Inventory Short Form (DHI-S) instruments, after the acute episode was resolved.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Latencies P1 or N1 peaks, corrected amplitude or the absence of response, for VEMPs; scores obtained in SF-36 and DHI-S instruments.

RESULTS

VEMPs showed abnormal results in 21 (51%) of 41 cases, with an increase in ipsilateral latencies for P1 and N1 peaks being the most common finding. Three patients (7%) had ipsilateral abnormal VEMP response with normal caloric response, indicating isolated involvement of inferior vestibular nerve. The total score obtained for the DHI-S was 14.76 +/- 11.07 (range, 0-34/40), suggesting a variable impact among patients with VN. For the SF-36, scores in men with VN were worse than their age-matched controls for all dimensions, except for mental health. However, women only showed lower scores for general health and social function.

CONCLUSION

Abnormal VEMP responses demonstrate the involvement of the inferior vestibular nerve in half of the patients with VN. Moreover, VN has a moderate impact in HRQoL, and it is perceived more disabling by men than women.