This prospective study evaluated otolith function with vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and subjective visual vertical / horizontal (SVH) tests in 50 adults with normal hearing between the ages of 18 and 50 years. The authors hypothesised that there are many causes of orthostatic dizziness (OD), and orthostatic hypotension (OH) is not the only cause. They excluded patients with neurological, or cardiac diseases, neck and vision problems (except refractive errors) from the study. The study group consisted of patients with symptoms of OD. Results of the study showed absent cVEMP (cervical VEMP) and oVEMP (ocular VEMP) in the study group. There were also statistically significant differences in the latencies and amplitudes of P13 and N23 and SVH values between the study cohorts for the left ears. The authors conclude that otolith dysfunction can be a cause of orthostatic dizziness (D) in patients with or without orthostatic hypotension.
Otolith malfunction can be a cause of orthostatic dizziness
Reviewed by Gauri Mankekar
A study of otolith function in patients with orthostatic dizziness.
CONTRIBUTOR
Gauri Mankekar
Department of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.
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