Otolith Dysfunction in Persons With Both Diabetes and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Endocrinology
• Neurology

Background:

• Vestibular dysfunction is a known complication of type 2 diabetes (DM), increasing fall risk.
• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is more prevalent in individuals with DM.
• The specific impact of DM on otolith organ function in BPPV patients remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate otolith organ function in individuals with DM and concurrent BPPV using vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) tests.
• To explore the relationship between VEMP parameters and diabetes-related factors.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary academic medical center.
• Participants (40-65 years) were categorized into four groups: controls, DM, BPPV, and BPPV+DM.
• Cervical VEMP (cVEMP) and ocular VEMP (oVEMP) assessed saccule and utricle function, respectively, with diabetes variables collected.

Main Results:

• Abnormal cVEMP responses were significantly more frequent in DM, BPPV, and BPPV+DM groups compared to controls.
• In diabetic participants, elevated HbA1c correlated with prolonged P1 and N1 latencies in VEMP tests.
• No significant differences in abnormal oVEMP responses were observed across the groups.

Conclusions:

• Both BPPV and DM can independently impact saccule and utricle function.
• There is no evidence of a distinct cumulative detrimental effect of DM and BPPV on otolith organ function.