The advantages of vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials induced by bone-conducted vibration in patients with otitis media

Abstract

Background

At present, there is no consensus on the optimal methods for the diagnosis of vestibular dysfunction.

Objective

To explore the advantages of bone-conducted vibration (BCV) related vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs).

Material and methods

Fifty patients with otitis media volunteered for VEMP examination. They were randomly selected with air-conducted sound and BCV stimulation VEMPs assessed in both ears.

Results

The provocation rate of BCV-VEMPs was significantly higher than that of air-conducted sound VEMPs. Among 50 affected ears, there was no significant difference in the provocation rate of BCV-VEMPs between patients with air–bone conduction gaps lower or higher than 20 dB. There was no significant difference in the provocation rate of BCV-VEMPs between both ears in 30 patients with unilateral otitis media and the comparison of BCV-oVEMP parameters made no significant difference in amplitude, N1 latency, P1 latency, or N1–P1 duration, except for the threshold. A comparison of BCV-cVEMP parameters between affected and healthy ears revealed no significant difference between groups in terms of threshold, amplitude, N1 latency, P1 latency, or n1–p1 duration.

Conclusions and significance

BCV-VEMPs may be stably induced in patients with conductive hearing loss.

Chinese Abstract

背景：目前对于前庭功能障碍的最佳诊断方法尚未达成共识。。

目的：探讨与骨传导振动（BCV）相关的前庭诱发肌源性电位（VEMP）的优势。

材料与方法：50名中耳炎患者自愿接受VEMP检查。他们被随机选入, 双耳接受空气传导声和 BCV 诱发的 VEMP检测。

结果：BCV-VEMPs的诱发率明显高于空气传导声VEMP的诱发率。在 50 只发炎耳朵中, 气-骨传导间隙低于或高于 20 dB 的患者之间, BCV-VEMP 诱发率没有显著差异。 30例单侧中耳炎患者双耳BCV-VEMPs诱发率无统计学意义上的差异, BCV-oVEMP参数比较在幅度、N1 潜伏期、P1 潜伏期或 N1-P1 持续时间方面没有显著差异, 阈值除外。发炎和健康耳朵之间的 BCVcVEMP 参数的比较显示, 两者之间在阈值、幅度、N1 潜伏期、P1 潜伏期或 n1-p1 持续时间方面没有显著差异。

结论与意义：对于传导性听力损失患者, BCV-VEMPs可稳定地诱发。

Keywords:

• Bone-conducted vibration
• vestibular-evoked myogenic potential
• otitis media

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University (2018–2017). Written consent forms were obtained from all patients for using their data prior to their participation in the study.

Author contributions

M.X. contributed to the Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, and Writing – review and editing the draft of the study. Y.C. contributed significantly to the Formal analysis, Investigation, and Writing – original draft of the study. Q.Z. and Y.Z. helped perform Project administration, Resources and Software application, Data Supervision, and Validation of the study. Z.C. and W.M. helped perform the Methodology part of the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statements

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Key R&D Projects in Shanxi Province, China [2018SF-189].