Objective:This study aims to compare the examination results of the vestibular evoked myogenic potential（VEMP） and video head impulse testing（vHIT） in patients with vestibular neuritis（VN）, thus exploring the methods to distinguish superior and inferior vestibular nerve damages in VN patients, and their feasibility. Methods:A total of 25 patients with unilateral VN treated in the Otology Department of the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao from May 2018 to July 2021 were recruited. They were respectively tested for ocular VEMP（oVEMP）, cervical VEMP（cVEMP） and vHIT, and the examination results were analyzed. Results:Examination results of oVEMP showed that 96%（24/25） patients had one-ear abnormalities with the amplitude decline or no waveform introduced, and 4%（1/25） patient had no waveform introduced of both ears. The overall abnormal rate examined by oVEMP was 100%（26/26）. Examination results of cVEMP showed that 36%（9/25） patients had one-ear abnormalities with the amplitude decline or no waveform introduced, and 4%（1/25） patients had no waveform introduced of both ears. The overall abnormal rate examined by cVEMP was 40%（10/25）, and 60%（15/25） patients had normal waveforms of both ears. Examination results of vHIT showed that 100%（25/25） patients had semicircular canal gain decline of one side, 92%（23/25） had anterior Semicircular canal decline of one side, and 36%（9/25） had posterior semicircular canal decline of one side. VEMP and vHIT results were compared. Examination results of VEMP showed that 60%（15/25） VN patients had superior vestibular nerve damage, and 40%（10/25） had both superior and inferior vestibular nerve damages. Examination results of vHIT showed that 64%（16/25） VN patients had superior vestibular nerve damage, and 36%（9/25） had both superior and inferior vestibular nerve damages. There was no significant difference in the ratio of VN patients with superior and inferior vestibular nerve damages examined by VEMP or vHIT（χ²=0.085, P>0.05）. The matching ratio of VEMP and vHIT results was 80%（20/25）, and the non-matching ratio was 20%（5/25）. Conclusion:Consistent results obtained from both VEMP and vHIT can preliminarily identify the type of vestibular nerve damage. If their results are not consistent, it is recommended not to identify the scope of the vestibular nerve damage.
Humans ; Vestibular Neuronitis/diagnosis* ; Vestibular Nerve ; Head Impulse Test/methods* ; Semicircular Canals ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials/physiology*

Objective:To analyze the site of vestibular nerve damaged in patients with acute vestibular neuritis. Methods:Fifty-seven patients with acute vestibular neuritis were recruited, and each patient underwent caloric irrigation test, video head impulse test（vHIT） and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials（VEMPs）. The results were further analyzed. Results:Analysis of abnormal rates of different vestibular function tests: the abnormal rate of caloric irrigation test, horizontal semicircular canal vHIT, anterior semicircular canal vHIT, and posterior semicircular canal vHIT were 92.98%, 92.98%, 92.98%, and 52.63%, respectively. The abnormal rate of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials（cVEMP） and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials（oVEMP） were 52.63% and 89.47%. The abnormal rate of caloric irrigation test, horizontal semicircular canal vHIT, anterior semicircular canal vHIT, and oVEMP were significantly higher than posterior semicircular canal vHIT and cVEMP（P<0.01）. Combination analysis of different vestibular function tests: there are twenty-six patients（45.61%, superior and inferior vestibular nerve） with abnormal caloric irrigation test, video head impulse test, and VEMPs. There are twenty-five patients（43.86%, superior vestibular nerve） with abnormal caloric irrigation test, horizontal semicircular canal vHIT, anterior semicircular canal vHIT, and oVEMP. There are 4 patients（7.02%, inferior vestibular nerve） with abnormal posterior semicircular canal vHIT and cVEMP. There are two patients（3.51%, ampullary vestibular nerve） with abnormal caloric irrigation test, horizontal semicircular canal vHIT, and anterior semicircular canal vHIT. The rate of superior and inferior vestibular neuritis and superior vestibular neuritis were significantly higher than inferior vestibular neuritis and ampullary vestibular neuritis（P<0.01）. Conclusion:Acute vestibular neuritis subtypes can be divided into four categories: superior and inferior vestibular neuritis, superior vestibular neuritis, inferior vestibular neuritis, and ampullary vestibular neuritis. Video head impulse test can accurately assess the site of vestibular nerve damage in patients with acute vestibular neuritis. In addition, vHIT combined with VEMPs can provide objective evidence for the diagnosis of ampullary vestibular neuritis.
Humans ; Vestibular Neuronitis/diagnosis* ; Vestibule, Labyrinth ; Vestibular Nerve ; Semicircular Canals ; Head Impulse Test/methods*

Vertigo/dizziness is a common complaint in patients who are seeking a primary health clinic. Vertigo is traditionally attributed to damage of the vestibular system. Many peripheral and central vestibular disorders are usually presented with vertigo. However, patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a leading cause of vertigo, may present with postural lightheadedness, near faint, imbalance rather than true vertigo. On the contrary, patients with orthostatic hypotension may present with true spinning vertigo, not dizziness. Persistent postural perceptual dizziness, a second most common cause of dizziness (after BPPV), is mainly occurred after organic vestibular disorders such as BPPV or vestibular neuritis, and classified as a chronic functional vestibular disorder. This article describes non-vestibular disorders presenting dizziness and/or vertigos, which conditions may be misdiagnosed as structural vestibular disorders.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Diagnosis ; Dizziness ; Humans ; Hypotension, Orthostatic ; Orthostatic Intolerance ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Neuronitis ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases

Herpes zoster oticus, also called Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, involves the geniculate ganglion and presents with facial nerve palsy, sensorineural hearing loss, vestibular dysfunction, and auricular vesicular lesion. In this case, the patient presented with isolated vestibular dysfunctions without facial palsy and hearing impairment, and these findings were confirmed by electrophysiologic studies including video head impulse testing. Clinicians should be aware of this variation, and differentiate it from vestibular neuritis which usually does not require intensive antiviral therapies.
Facial Nerve ; Facial Paralysis* ; Geniculate Ganglion ; Head Impulse Test ; Hearing Loss* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing* ; Herpes Zoster Oticus* ; Herpes Zoster* ; Humans ; Paralysis ; Vestibular Neuronitis*

To assess the clinical application of video head impulse test (vHIT) for vestibular function in vestibular neuritis (VN) and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) patients.Thirty-three patients with VN and 43 patients with BPPV were enrolled from Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital and Ningbo Second Hospital from March 15 to September 10, 2015; and 50 healthy controls were also enrolled in the study. vHIT was used to quantitatively test the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gains of a pair of horizontal semicircular canals. VOR gains two pairs of vertical semicircular canals, and the corresponding asymmetrical value of three VOR gains. The saccades information was also recorded.Compared with the healthy control group and BPPV patients, the affected horizontal and vertical VOR gains were declined and the corresponding asymmetries were increased in VN patients (all<0.01). BPPV group also showed higher vertical VOR gain asymmetries compared with the healthy control group (all<0.01), but no significant difference was observed in VOR gains and horizontal VOR gain asymmetry (all>0.05). The sensibility of vHIT in diagnosis of VN was 87.9%. Among 33 VN patients, 22 were diagnosed with superior vestibular nerve dysfunction, 7 were found with inferior vestibular nerve dysfunction and 3 were with both dysfunction; and 1 case was not distinguished.Video head impulse test can quantitatively evaluate the vestibular dysfunction of VN and can help early diagnosis of VN, which may be widely used in clinic.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; diagnosis ; Head Impulse Test ; Humans ; Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular ; physiology ; Saccades ; physiology ; Semicircular Canals ; innervation ; physiopathology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Vestibular Diseases ; classification ; diagnosis ; Vestibular Nerve ; pathology ; Vestibular Neuronitis ; classification ; diagnosis

It is known that about 30% of patients with sudden hearing loss present with vertigo or dizziness. In clinical practice, this is called sudden hearing loss with vertigo (SHLV) although definite diagnostic criteria have not been established. Dizziness in SHLV is known to be caused by the dysfunction of the vestibular end-organs as well as the superior vestibular nerve or both vestibular nerve divisions. Lesions of the inferior vestibular nerve or a single semicircular canal have also been reported in these patients. Herein we report a 71-year-old male patient with SHLV who demonstrated vestibular dysfunction involving only the posterior semicircular canal. The patient showed normal results in the bithermal caloric test and the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials test as well as positional test. Video head impulse test showed decreased gain only in the posterior semicircular canal. This case is significant in showing that dizziness in SHLV patients can occur by an abnormality involving only a single semicircular canal.
Aged ; Caloric Tests ; Dizziness ; Head Impulse Test ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Male ; Semicircular Canals ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials ; Vestibular Nerve

OBJECTIVES: In vestibular neuritis (VN), the lesion preferentially affects the superior vestibular nerve because of the anatomic arrangement. It is well known that VN patients have a higher score of metabolic syndrome or a higher incidence of vertebral artery hypoplasia than controls. However, it is unclear whether the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors can affect the selective involvement of the branch of the vestibular nerve. Thus, we investigated the influence of cardiovascular risk factors on the development of total- or divisional VN. METHODS: 61 patients with VN were enrolled. Video head impulse tests and caloric tests were performed to determine which vestibular divisionswere affected. The patients were divided into divisional-VN (superior or inferior) and total-VN groups. Statistical analysis of the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors was performed only in superior and total VN groups because the number of inferior VN patients was too small to be statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Nineteen (31.1%) patients were classified as the total-VN group. In the divisional-VN group (42 patients, 65.6%), 40 were superior VN. The frequency of cardiovascular risk factors are not significantly different in superior VN and total-VN groups (All patients 50/61 [82.0%], superior-VN 36/40 [90.0%], total-VN 13/19 [68.4%]). The frequency of having more than one cardiovascular risk factor was slightly higher in the superior VN group, (13 [68.4%] vs. 36 [90.0%], p=0.062) but did not show any significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: The number of cardiovascular risk factors did not differ in superior VN patients compared to total VN patients.
Caloric Tests ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Head Impulse Test ; Humans ; Incidence ; Risk Factors ; Vertebral Artery ; Vestibular Nerve ; Vestibular Neuronitis

BACKGROUNDDetermining the nerve of origin for vestibular schwannoma (VS), as a method for predicting hearing prognosis, has not been systematically considered. The vestibular test can be used to investigate the function of the superior vestibular nerve (SVN) and the inferior vestibular nerve (IVN). This study aimed to preoperatively distinguish the nerve of origin for VS patients using the vestibular test, and determine if this correlated with hearing preservation.

METHODSA total of 106 patients with unilateral VS were enrolled in this study prospectively. Each patient received a caloric test, vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test, and cochlear nerve function test (hearing) before the operation and 1 week, 3, and 6 months, postoperatively. All patients underwent surgical removal of the VS using the suboccipital approach. During the operation, the nerve of tumor origin (SVN or IVN) was identified by the surgeon. Tumor size was measured by preoperative magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTSThe nerve of tumor origin could not be unequivocally identified in 38 patients (38/106, 35.80%). These patients were not subsequently evaluated. In 26 patients (nine females, seventeen males), tumors arose from the SVN and in 42 patients (18 females, 24 males), tumors arose from the IVN. Comparing with the nerve of origins (SVN and IVN) of tumors, the results of the caloric tests and VEMP tests were significantly different in tumors originating from the SVN and the IVN in our study. Hearing was preserved in 16 of 26 patients (61.54%) with SVN-originating tumors, whereas hearing was preserved in only seven of 42 patients (16.67%) with IVN-originating tumors.

CONCLUSIONSOur data suggest that caloric and VEMP tests might help to identify whether VS tumors originate from the SVN or IVN. These tests could also be used to evaluate the residual function of the nerves after surgery. Using this information, we might better predict the preservation of hearing for patients.

Adult ; Female ; Hearing ; Humans ; Male ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Nerve ; physiology

OBJECTIVE: Cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) is thought to be assessing the function of the saccule and inferior vestibular nerve. Therefore, cVEMP indirectly reflects the function of the posterior semicircular canal. Recently, the video head impulse test (vHIT) is considered as useful clinical tool to detect each semicircular canal dysfunction. Goal of this study was to evaluate and compare the results of cVEMP with posterior canal plane of vHIT (p-vHIT). METHODS: Retrospectively, we compared the results of cVEMP with p-vHIT in 43 patients who visited with dizziness. We analyzed the inter-test agreement of cVEMP with p-vHIT. RESULTS: Positive asymmetry of cVEMP was present in 37.2% (16/43), and no responses of both ears were identified in 16.3% (7/43). In p-vHIT analysis, unilateral positive was 27.9% (12/43), bilateral positive was 11.6% (5/43) and negative in both sides was 60.5% (26/43). The inter-test agreement between cVEMP and p-vHIT was 75.8% (25/33) as we considered even in lesion side. And, Fleiss's kappa value showed a fair to good agreement (kappa value=0.559). In bilateral no response group (7 patients) in cVEMP, variable additional information could be obtained using p-vHIT. CONCLUSION: cVEMP and p-vHIT showed relatively lower inter-test agreement than expected. But, p-vHIT could be easily performed, and give additional information for differential diagnosis.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Dizziness ; Ear ; Head Impulse Test ; Head ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Saccule and Utricle ; Semicircular Canals ; Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials ; Vestibular Nerve

Vestibular paroxysmia is the name given to the syndrome caused by vascular compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve. The main symptoms of vestibular paroxysmia are recurrent, spontaneous, brief attacks of spinning, non-spinning vertigo or positional vertigo that generally last less than one minute, with or without ear symptoms (tinnitus and hypoacusis). Prior to attributing a patient's symptoms to vestibular paroxysmia, however, clinicians must exclude common conditions like benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, Menière's disease, vestibular neuritis and vestibular migraine. This is usually possible with a thorough history and bedside vestibular/ocular motor examination. Herein, we describe a patient with vestibular paroxysmia that mimicked resolved BPPV with a literature review.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Carbamazepine ; Ear ; Humans ; Migraine Disorders ; Neuritis ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Diseases ; Vestibulocochlear Nerve