Towards a new staging of Ménière's disease: a vestibular approach

Effects of Age on the Frequency Amplitude Ratio of Cervical and Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials

PURPOSE

An increase in the 1000/500 Hz frequency amplitude ratio (FAR) of the cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP and oVEMP, respectively) may serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosing Meniere's disease (MD). However, the aging process can also result in an increased FAR for VEMPs. In older patients, distinguishing whether changes in VEMP FAR are due to MD or aging processes becomes difficult. We aimed to investigate the effects of age on VEMP FARs and establish a FAR-normative range for different age groups.

METHOD

cVEMP and oVEMP were recorded from a total of 106 participants grouped as young, middle-aged, and older adults using air-conducted tone bursts at 500, 750, and 1000 Hz at 125 dB pSPL. The FAR was calculated for the cVEMP and oVEMP for the following frequencies: FAR1 = 1000/500, FAR2 = 1000/750, and FAR3 = 750/500.

RESULTS

A significant age-related effect was observed on the cVEMP FAR. Although the oVEMP FAR showed an increasing trend with age, it was not statistically significant. Age-based normative FAR values are provided.

CONCLUSIONS

Drawing from the normative FAR from this study, there is evidence that the existing MD diagnostic criteria would misidentify a considerable number of older adults. Therefore, to reduce false positives, we recommend a more stringent cVEMP and oVEMP FAR criterion in older adults.

Posterior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence with Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Reduction for the Affected Canal at the Video-Head Impulse Test: Considerations to Pathomechanisms

Posterior semicircular canal dehiscence (PSCD) has been demonstrated to result in a third mobile window mechanism (TMWM) in the inner ear similar to superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD). Typical clinical and instrumental features of TMWM, including low-frequency conductive hearing loss (CHL), autophony, pulsatile tinnitus, sound/pressure-induced vertigo and enhanced vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials, have been widely described in cases with PSCD. Nevertheless, video-head impulse test (vHIT) results have been poorly investigated. Here, we present six patients with PSCD presenting with a clinical scenario consistent with a TMWM and an impaired vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) for the affected canal on vHIT. In two cases, an additional dehiscence between the facial nerve and the horizontal semicircular canal (HSC) was detected, leading to a concurrent VOR impairment for the HSC. While in SSCD, a VOR gain reduction could be ascribed to a spontaneous "auto-plugging" process due to a dural prolapse into the canal, the same pathomechanism is difficult to conceive in PSCD due to a different anatomical position, making a dural herniation less likely. Alternative putative pathomechanisms are discussed, including an endolymphatic flow dissipation during head impulses as already hypothesized in SSCD. The association of symptoms/signs consistent with TMWM and a reduced VOR gain for the posterior canal might address the diagnosis toward PSCD.

Navigating the vestibular maze: text-mining analysis of publication trends over five decades

Introduction

The field of vestibular science, encompassing the study of the vestibular system and associated disorders, has experienced notable growth and evolving trends over the past five decades. Here, we explore the changing landscape in vestibular science, focusing on epidemiology, peripheral pathologies, diagnosis methods, treatment, and technological advancements.

Methods

Publication data was obtained from the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) PubMed database. The analysis included epidemiological, etiological, diagnostic, and treatment-focused studies on peripheral vestibular disorders, with a particular emphasis on changes in topics and trends of publications over time.

Results

Our dataset of 39,238 publications revealed a rising trend in research across all age groups. Etiologically, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and Meniere's disease were the most researched conditions, but the prevalence of studies on vestibular migraine showed a marked increase in recent years. Electronystagmography (ENG)/ Videonystagmography (VNG) and Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) were the most commonly discussed diagnostic tools, while physiotherapy stood out as the primary treatment modality.

Conclusion

Our study presents a unique opportunity and point of view, exploring the evolving landscape of vestibular science publications over the past five decades. The analysis underscored the dynamic nature of the field, highlighting shifts in focus and emerging publication trends in diagnosis and treatment over time.

Utility of Inter-Frequency Amplitude Ratio of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Identifying Meniere's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVES

A recently devised parameter of vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) based on the principles of frequency tuning is the inter-frequency amplitude ratio (IFAR). It refers to the ratio of the amplitude of 1000 Hz tone burst evoked VEMP to 500 Hz evoked tone burst. A pathology like Meniere's disease changes the frequency response and alters the frequency tuning of the otolith organs. Because IFAR is based on the principle of frequency tuning of VEMP, it is likely to help identify Meniere's disease. Few studies in the last decade have investigated the utility of IFAR in identifying Meniere's disease. However, a systematic review and a meta-analysis on IFAR in Meniere's disease are lacking. The present study investigates whether the IFAR of VEMP helps identify Meniere's disease and differentiates it from healthy ears and other vestibular pathologies.

DESIGN

The present study is a systematic review and a meta-analysis. The studies investigating the IFAR of cervical and ocular VEMPs in Meniere's disease, healthy controls, and other vestibular pathologies were searched across research databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus. The search strategy was developed using the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes) format, and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and Boolean operators were employed. The systematic review was performed using the Rayyan software, whereas the Review Manager software was used to carry out the meta-analysis. A total of 16,605 articles were retrieved from the databases. After the duplicate removal, 2472 articles remained. These were eliminated using title screening, abstract screening, and full-length inspections. A total of nine articles were found eligible for quality assessment and meta-analysis, and the New Castle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. After the data extraction, 24 six articles were found to have the desired data format for the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed significantly higher IFAR in the affected ears of individuals in the Meniere's disease group than in the control group's unaffected ears. There was no significant difference between the unaffected ears of individuals in the Meniere's disease group and the ears of the control group. The only study on Meniere's disease and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo found significantly larger ocular VEMP IFAR in ears with Meniere's disease than in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis found IFAR efficient in differentiating Meniere's disease from healthy controls. We also found an enhanced IFAR as a potential marker for Meniere's disease. However, more investigations are needed to confirm the utility of an enhanced IFAR value in the exclusive identification of Meniere's disease.

Dissociation between video head impulse test and caloric test: a marker of menière's disease? - A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To analyze, by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis, the proportion of patients with Meniere's disease who have altered caloric test and vHIT, as well as to determine the prevalence of altered caloric test and normal vHIT dissociation in the diagnosis of Meniere's disease.

METHODS

The literature search had no restriction regarding the period of publication on the following indexed data platforms: PubMed, PubMed PMC, BVS-Bireme, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library. Articles that evaluated patients with Meniere's disease who underwent caloric test and vHIT were included. Two researchers independently conducted the analysis of the articles, promoting the selection and capture of data, following the recommendations of the PRISMA method, and complying with the criteria for articles inclusion and exclusion defined in the research protocol. In case of disagreement during the selection process, a third researcher was included for analysis.

RESULTS

From a total of 427 initial studies, the researchers selected 12 articles, published between 2014 and 2021, with a total of 708 patients evaluated, with a mean age of 52.72 years old. The prevalence of patients with Meniere's disease with altered caloric reflex test was 64% (95% CI 57%‒71%), while the prevalence of altered vHIT was only 28% (95% CI 16%-40%). The prevalence of the altered caloric test + normal vHIT dissociation was 47% (95% CI 37%-57%).

CONCLUSION

The video head impulse test and the caloric test are valuable tools for vestibular assessment. The dissociation of findings between these two tests in patients with Meniere's disease was more prevalent in this meta-analysis and may be a result of the tonotopy of specialized hair cells in the ampullary crest. The prevalence of altered caloric test was 64% and anormal vHIT was 28%. The dissociation caloric asymmetry and normal vHIT was observed in 47% of the patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1

Vestibular function testing in the 21st century: video head impulse test, vestibular evoked myogenic potential, video nystagmography; which tests will provide answers?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To most neurologists, assessing the patient with vertigo is an unpleasant and worrisome task. A structured history and focused examination can be complemented by carefully selected laboratory tests, to reach an early and accurate diagnosis. We provide evidence-based recommendations for vestibular test selection.

RECENT FINDINGS

The video head impulse test (vHIT), cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) and home-video nystagmography are four modern, noninvasive methods of assessing vestibular function, which are equally applicable in the hospital and office-practice. Collectively, they enable assessment of all five vestibular end-organs. The prevalence and patterns of test abnormalities are distinct for each vestibular disorder. We summarize typical abnormalities encountered in four common vestibular syndromes.

SUMMARY

In the context of acute vestibular syndrome, an abnormal vHIT with low gain and large amplitude refixation saccades and an asymmetric oVEMP separates innocuous vestibular neuritis from stroke. In episodic spontaneous vertigo, high-velocity ictal nystagmus and asymmetric cVEMP help separate Ménière's disease from vestibular migraine. In chronic imbalance, all three tests help detect unilateral or bilateral vestibular loss as the root cause. Recurrent positional vertigo requires no laboratory test and can be diagnosed and treated at the bedside, guided by video nystagmography.

Advanced Imaging of the Vestibular Endolymphatic Space in Ménière's Disease

The diagnosis of "definite" Méniére's disease (MD) relies upon its clinical manifestations. MD has been related with Endolymphatic Hydrops (EH), an enlargement of the endolymphatic spaces (ES) (cochlear duct, posterior labyrinth, or both). Recent advances in Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging justify its increasing role in the diagnostic workup: EH can be consistently recognized in living human subjects by means of 3-dimensional Fluid-Attenuated Inversion-Recovery sequences (3D-FLAIR) acquired 4 h post-injection of intra-venous (i.v.) Gadolinium-based contrast medium, or 24 h after an intratympanic (i.t.) injection. Different criteria to assess EH include: the comparison of the area of the vestibular ES with the whole vestibule on an axial section; the saccule-to-utricle ratio ("SURI"); and the bulging of the vestibular organs toward the inferior 1/3 of the vestibule, in contact with the stapedial platina ("VESCO"). An absolute link between MD and EH has been questioned, since not all patients with hydrops manifest MD symptoms. In this literature review, we report the technical refinements of the imaging methods proposed with either i.t. or i.v. delivery routes, and we browse the outcomes of MR imaging of the ES in both MD and non-MD patients. Finally, we summarize the following imaging findings observed by different researchers: blood-labyrinthine-barrier (BLB) breakdown, the extent and grading of EH, its correlation with clinical symptoms, otoneurological tests, and stage and progression of the disease.

Clinical, oculographic and vestibular test characteristics of Ménière's disease

Seventy Ménière's disease (MD) patients with spontaneous vertigo (100%), unilateral aural fullness (57.1%), tinnitus (78.6%), and subjective hearing loss (75.7%) self-recorded nystagmus during their episodes of vertigo using portable video oculography goggles. All demonstrated ictal spontaneous nystagmus, horizontal in 94.3% (n = 66) and vertical in 5.7% (n = 4), with a mean slow-phase velocity (SPV) of 42.8 ± 31.1°/s (range 5.3-160.1). Direction reversal of spontaneous horizontal nystagmus was captured in 58.6%, within the same episode in 34.3%, and over different days in 24.3%. In 18.6%, we observed ipsiversive then contraversive nystagmus, and in 12.9% contraversive to ipsiversive direction reversal. Ictal nystagmus SPV (42.8 ± 31.1°/s) was significantly faster than interictal (1.4 ± 3.1°/s, p < 0.001, CI 34.277-48.776). Compared to age-matched healthy controls, interictal video head impulse test gains in MD ears were significantly lower, cumulative and first saccade (S1) amplitudes were significantly larger, and S1 peak velocities were significantly faster (p = 0.038/0.019/0.008/ < 0.001, CI 0.002-0.071/0.130-1.444/0.138-0.909/14.614-41.506). Audiometry showed asymmetrically increased thresholds in 100% of MD ears (n = 70). Significant caloric, air-conducted (AC) cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP), and AC ocular VEMP asymmetries were found in 61.4, 37.9, and 44.4% of patients (MD ear reduced). Transtympanic electrocochleography tested in 36 ears (23 patients) showed 81.8% of MD ears had a positive result for hydrops (either a summating potential at 1/2 kHz < - 6 µV, or an SP/AP ratio > 40%). Using ictal nystagmus findings of SPV > 12°/s, and a caloric canal paresis > 25%, we correctly separated a diagnosis MD from Vestibular Migraine with a sensitivity and specificity of 95.7% and 85.1% (CI 0.89-0.97).

Evaluation of a large cohort of adult patients with Ménière's disease: bedside and clinical history

Objective

The purpose of this study was to assess vestibular findings and clinical history in a large cohort of patients affected by Ménière’s disease.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 511 adult patients fulfilling criteria for definite unilateral Ménière’s disease according to Barany Society. Thorough clinical history, audiometric exam, central nervous system MRI, quantification of serum autoantibodies and complete vestibular function test were performed.

Results

Mean age at clinical record was 55.4 years, while age at onset of the first vertigo attack was 47.4 ± 14.3 years. Ménière’s disease overlapped with migraine in 43.4% of patients. In 31.7% of cases, positivity was found for at least one autoantibody. Forty-nine patients (9.6%) had family history for Ménière’s disease. Bedside examination resulted in 14.7% positivity for video head impulse test, 58.9% for skull vibration-induced nystagmus, 38.7% for the positional test and 23.1% for the post head shaking test. Complete negative examination was reported in 115 cases.

Conclusions

Ménière’s disease was seen to present a characteristic phenotypic pattern in our cohort, confirming the crucial role of thorough anamnesis and bedside examination in diagnosis.

Quantification of endolymphatic hydrops and its correlation with Meniere's disease clinical features

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to quantitatively evaluate the degree of endolymphatic hydrops and its correlation with the clinical features of Meniere's disease.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data from patients with Meniere's disease who underwent gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at our department from January 2018 to December 2019. Mimics software was used to perform three-dimensional modelling of the labyrinth, and volume information was obtained to calculate the endolymphatic hydrops index (EHI). A correlation analysis was conducted with data from pure tone audiometry, electrocochleography (EchoG), vestibular myogenic-evoked potential (VEMP) testing, caloric testing and video head impulse testing (vHIT). A two-dimensional method was also employed to calculate the hydrops ratio (HR) of cochlea and vestibule. The test-retest reliability of EHI/HR from different operators was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 23 affected ears were examined, and the EHI was significantly correlated with Meniere's disease stage, low-frequency hearing threshold, EchoG summating potential/action potential ratio (-SP/AP) and VEMP binaural asymmetry ratio, but no significant correlation was observed between EHI and the caloric test or vHIT. The Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of EHI data calculated by two otologists was 0.946 (p < .001). And the ICC of cochlea and vestibule HR were 0.844 and 0.832 (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

Mimics software can be used to quantitatively evaluate the degree of endolymphatic hydrops and have shown higher test-retest reliability than traditional two-dimensional evaluation method. Endolymphatic hydrops correlates with clinical data, such as Meniere's disease stage, low-frequency hearing threshold, EchoG and VEMP asymmetry ratio.

Vestibulo-ocular reflex tests may reflect unilateral Ménière disease progression: A cross-sectional study

Vestibular disorders can manifest several patterns of horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) impairment, which can be detected by caloric test and video head impulse test (vHIT). Several studies have examined the patterns of caloric-vHIT response in Ménière disease (MD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the diversity of caloric-vHIT response and its related factors in unilateral MD patients. We also explore the possibility of assessing the progression of unilateral MD by using the horizontal VOR tests.Ninety-eight patients with unilateral MD were enrolled and underwent a battery of audio-vestibular evaluations, including the pure tone audiogram, caloric test, and horizontal vHIT. Some patients received the electrocochleography and glycerol test. The combined results of caloric test and horizontal vHIT were categorized qualitatively into 4 patterns: Pattern I: normal caloric and vHIT responses; Pattern II: abnormal caloric and normal vHIT responses; Pattern III: normal caloric and abnormal vHIT response; and Pattern IV: abnormal caloric and vHIT responses. The abnormal caloric results were semi-quantitatively subdivided into sub-patterns as mild, moderate, and severe abnormality. The associations between these patterns/sub-patterns and related factors were analyzed.Pattern I was found in 35 cases (35.7%), Pattern II in 57 (58.2%), and Pattern IV in 6 (6.1%). No patient had Pattern III. No significant differences were found between the patterns/sub-pattern distribution and age, electrocochleography, and glycerol test results. Disease duration was not associated with the pattern distribution, while remained a relation with sub-pattern distribution. The pattern/sub-pattern distribution varied significantly across MD stages. The proportion of pattern II or pattern IV increased with the stage of unilateral MD.MD can manifest several patterns of horizontal VOR impairment, of which the impaired caloric response with normal vHIT is the most common pattern. With the progression of unilateral MD, the caloric-vHIT pattern tends to shift, which may reflect the deterioration of endolymphatic hydrops and vestibular hair cells impairments.

Usefulness of Video Head Impulse Test Results in the Identification of Meniere's Disease

Meniere's disease (MD) is an inner ear disorder inducing tinnitus, aural fullness, sensorineural hearing loss, and vertigo episodes. In the past few years, efforts have been made to develop objective measures able to distinguish MD from other pathologies. Indeed, some authors investigated electrophysiological measures, such as electrocochleography and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials or imaging techniques. More recently, the video head impulse test (vHIT) was developed to assess the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). In the last few years, authors aimed at identifying how vHIT may help to identify MD. The objective of this manuscript is to review the different vHIT results in MD patients. We will discuss the usefulness of these findings in the identification of MD, how these results may be explained by pathophysiological mechanisms associated with MD, and finally provide directions for future studies.