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Abstract
Objective
The inter-frequency amplitude ratio (IFAR) is the ratio of the amplitude of 1000-Hz tone-burst evoked ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) to the 500 Hz tone-burst evoked oVEMP. Since IFAR is an amplitude-based parameter, and the amplitudes of oVEMP for different frequencies are differentially affected by ageing, IFAR could potentially be affected by the ageing process. Therefore, we aimed to examine the effects of ageing on the IFAR of oVEMPs.
Design
Multiple static groups comparison.
Study sample
We recorded oVEMPs for 500 Hz and 1000 Hz tone-bursts from 270 healthy individuals, each included in one of the six age groups.
Results
The IFAR was significantly larger in the ≥60 years age group than the age groups up to 49 years. Furthermore, the IFAR in the 50–59 years age group was significantly larger than all the other age groups up to 39 years. There was a significant positive correlation between age and IFARs (p < 0.01).
Conclusions
IFAR, a sensitive tool in the test battery for the diagnosis of Meniere’s disease, is affected even in healthy individuals due to ageing; hence its cautious interpretation is recommended when evaluating adults >50 years of age who are suspected of having Meniere’s disease.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the administrative heads of the University of Mysore, the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), and the Department of Audiology of AIISH, where this research work was carried out. The authors extend sincere gratitude towards Dr. Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, The Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, Cyprus for his timely help in English editing of this manuscript. The authors thank the participants for their cooperation throughout the study.
Disclosure statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.