Electronystagmography in migraine equivalent syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine the efficacy of electronystagmography testing in the diagnosis of vertigo in children with migraine equivalent syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN: The investigation included 20 children with "migraine equivalent syndrome" (group A), characterized by benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood. As a control group, 50 healthy children were identified.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All the subjects underwent rotatory vestibular stimulation by stop test, optokinetic stimulation, and simultaneous postrotatory vestibular and optokinetic stimulations (VVOR).

RESULTS: For the analysis of the results, we considered nystagmus mean gain and direction of visual-vestibular-ocular-reflex (VVOR) nystagmus. In group A, all the children presented a VVOR nystagmus homodirectional to vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR). In the control group, all the subjects presented a VVOR nystagmus homodirectional to optokinetic nystagmus (OKN).

CONCLUSION: In the healthy patients, VVOR nystagmus is always homodirectional to OKN and indicates the optokinetic system prevalence on VOR. The presence of a VVOR nystagmus homodirectional to VOR indicates the absence of the optokinetic system prevalence due to a central nervous system (CNS) modification and highlights a CNS disease. Our data highlight a possible correlation between CNS disorders and migraine equivalent syndrome.