Pathological eye movements influence on the recordings of ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential

This study investigated the influence of pathological eye movements on the recordings of ocular vestibulo-evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP).

Ten patients with pathological eye movements of non-vestibular origin (nine congenital nystagmus and one opsoclonus) who had negative MRI result were assigned to Group A. Another 20 vestibular neuritis (VN) patients with spontaneous nystagmus were assigned to Group B. Both groups underwent audiometry, and caloric, oVEMP and cervical VEMP (cVEMP) tests.

In Group A, the caloric, oVEMP and cVEMP tests showed 40%, 55% and 50% abnormalities, respectively. In Group B (VN), caloric, oVEMP and cVEMP tests revealed 100%, 80% and 45% abnormalities on the lesion ears, and 0%, 40% and 0% abnormalities on the healthy (opposite) ears, respectively. The 40% oVEMP abnormality on the healthy ears may be due to recording failure from the presence of spontaneous nystagmus, since five of five VN patients showed normal oVEMPs on the healthy ears, one year after presentation.

Presence of pathological eye movements may affect the recordings of oVEMP. Thus, the oVEMP test is recommended to perform after acute vertiginous episode to exclude the influence of pathological eye movements on the oVEMP recordings.