[Primary benign paroxysmal positional vertigo vestibular detection of evoked myogenic potential significance].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical significance of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) in primary unilateral benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).

METHOD: Fifty-two patients with unilateral primary BPPV (BPPV group) and 38 normal subjects (control group) received ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test using tone burst stimuli. The response rate, latency and amplitude were analyzed.

RESULT: In BPPV group, the response rate of oVEMP was 46.15% in lesioned side and 48.08% in healthy side, respectively. The response rate of cVEMP was 67.31% in lesioned side and 65.38% in healthy side, respectively. In control group, the response rate on the left ear was 84.21% for oVEMP and 92.11% for cVEMP. On the right ear, was 81.58% for oVEMP and 94.74% for cVEMP in control group, there was no significant difference in cVEMP and oVEMP P1, N1 N1-P1 latency and amplitude between left and right ear. The interaural amplitude ratio and asymmetry of cVEMP and oVEMP was significantly different between BPPV group and control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Unilateral primary BPPV with bilateral impaired vestibular otolith pathways function can be objectively evaluated by oVEMP and cVEMP detection. Abnormal oVEMP responses were more frequently detected than cVEMP.