Distinguishing central and peripheral causes of dizziness is vital. A case is presented where a 42-year-old man with a history of posterior circulation ischemic stroke developed acute unilateral vestibulopathy with hearing loss. Clinical examination revealed signs of vestibular dysfunction on the left side. Audiometry confirmed deafness on the left, but imaging ruled out new central issues. The patient was diagnosed with audiovestibulopathy and treated with steroids, antiviral agents, intratympanic injections, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hearing loss persisted, but dizziness improved with vestibular rehabilitation. Poststroke patients should be closely monitored for peripheral complications. Further research should explore the benefits of antiplatelet therapy in vascular-related conditions, even without clear central lesions.
Objectives This study was performed to evaluate characteristics and their prognostic value of video-head impulse test (vHIT) in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) with vertigo.
Methods Of the 612 patients with a diagnosis of SSNHL from 2010 to 2018, 110 patients (18.0%) with vertigo and 39 patients (6.4%) with vHIT results were recruited. The patients were evaluated for their pure-tone hearing average (at initial, 1-month, and 6-month visit), the presence of re-fixation saccade and gains at vHIT, the canal paresis (CP) at ccaloric test.
Results Patients with saccade (+) showed higher pure-tone averages than those with saccade (‒) on initial and follow-up audiograms. The improvement in pure-tone averages was less in the saccade (+) group than in the saccade (‒) group. There was no significant difference of hearing recovery between SSNHL patients with normal gain and those with decreased gain. There was no difference of hearing improvement between CP (+) and CP (‒) groups according to the presence of re-fixation saccade.
Conclusions Concurrent re-fixation saccade at vHIT is a negative prognostic factor of hearing function in SSNHL. Re-fixation saccade in SSNHL may suggest widespread damages to both the cochlea and the vestibule, leading to the poor prognosis.
Objectives This study was performed to determine characteristics and the prognostic values in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) with comorbid ipsilateral canal paresis (CP) and/or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
Methods Of the 338 patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic SSNHL, 29 patients (8.6%) with CP and 24 patients (7.1%) with BPPV were recruited and compared to 23 patients with SSNHL and vertigo but without CP or BPPV. The patients were evaluated for their initial hearing threshold, type of canal involved, response to repositioning maneuvers, and hearing outcome for 6 months.
Results Patients with CP (+) BPPV (‒) showed lower pure-tone averages than those with CP (‒) BPPV (+) on initial and follow-up audiograms. The improvement in pure-tone averages was less in the CP (+) BPPV (‒) group than in the CP (‒) BPPV (+) group. The improvement in speech discrimination scores was less in the CP (+) BPPV (‒) group than in the CP (‒) BPPV (‒) group. BPPV most commonly involved the posterior canal (15 of 24, 62.5%), followed by the horizontal canal (13 of 24, 54.2%). Three of 24 patients (12.5%) had recurrences of BPPV.
Conclusions CP is a more serious sign for hearing recovery than BPPV, although both CP and BPPV are negative prognostic indicators of auditory function in SSNHL. Concurrent CP and/or BPPV in SSNHL suggest combined damage to the vestibule and may indicate severe and widespread labyrinthine damage, leading to a poor prognosis.
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Re-fixation Saccade at Video-Head Impulse Test in Patients with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Dong Hyuk Jang, Sun Seong Kang, Hyun Joon Shim, Yong-Hwi An Research in Vestibular Science.2023; 22(2): 46. CrossRef
Objectives The aim of this paper was to determine if a correlation exists between video head impulse test (vHIT) and electronystagmography with caloric test (ENG). More specifically, comparison of covert and overt value from vHIT test with cold and warm stimulation value from ENG test.
Methods Retrospective study of our single institue from the period of January 2015 to January 2017 enrolled 91 patients. Patients were divided into 3 groups by their diagnosis of either vestibular neuritis (VN), Meniere disease, or sudden sensorineural loss with vertigo accordingly. Each of the patients’ both ENG and vHIT data were recorded and parameters were evaluated.
Results VN group was the only group to show a significant correlation between canal paresis (CP) with covert and overt saccades. Further analysis was done in the VN group and result showed covert saccade showing a larger area under the receiver operation characteristic curve value (0.77) compared to overt saccades (0.70), implying that covert saccade is a more accurate parameter for the prediction of the CP value. Furthermore, a positive correlation was seen between the gain value and the cold caloric stimulation value as well as between warm caloric stimulation value.
Conclusions The value of our study lies in the fact that we have attempted to find a correlation between different parameters of 2 different vestibular tests. We concluded that the evaluation of overt nystagmus by the bedside head thrust test is inappropriate for predicting CP, and a vHIT is required to accurately evaluate vestibular function.
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A Comparative Analysis of the Vestibulocochlear Function in Patients with Isolated Semicircular Canal Hypofunction Using a Video Head Impulse Test Yu Jung Park, Min Young Lee, Ji Eun Choi, Jae Yun Jung, Jung Hwa Bahng Research in Vestibular Science.2023; 22(2): 34. CrossRef
Objectives The prognosis of sudden low frequency hearing loss (SLFHL) is relatively good, but recurrences of hearing loss and possible progression to Meniere’s disease is still a clinically important concern. This study was conducted to confirm the rate at which SLFHL proceeds to Meniere’s disease.
Methods We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 160 SLFHL patients who were followed up for more than 6 months from September 2005 to August 2013. Progression, initial hearing level, recovery and recurrence of hearing loss were reviewed.
Results 106 patients (66.25%) had complete hearing recovery, 32 (20%) had recurrent hearing loss. Of the 32 recurrent group, 15 (9.38%) had progressed to Meniere’s disease after average of 1.7±1.4 years. The mean age of nonrecurrent group was higher than recurrent group (55.3±14.6 and 48.0±13.4, respectively, p=0.011). The threshold of 250Hz was significantly higher in the nonrecurrent group compared with recurrent group (p=0.047).
Conclusions In patients with SLFHL, recurrence at relatively young age should be considered with the possibility of progression to Meniere’s disease.
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Findings of Intravenous Gadolinium Inner Ear Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Acute Low-Tone Sensorineural Hearing Loss Hee Won Seo, Yikyung Kim, Hyung-Jin Kim, Won-Ho Chung, Young Sang Cho Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology.2023; 16(4): 334. CrossRef
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.