[The manisfestation of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in patients with obstructive sleep apnea].

ABSTRACT

Obstructive sleep apnea（OSA） is a syndrome characterized by repeated apneas and hypopneas, periodic intermittent hypoxemia accompanied by repeated drops in intrathoracic pressure（due to blockage of the airway during inhalation） and fragmentation of sleep. It can cause intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia, and has adverse effects on many systems of human body, including the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and the neuropsychiatric system, etc. The impact of OSA on vestibular function has also attracted the attention of researchers, and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials（VEMPs） are used to evaluate function of the otolithic apparatus and its conduction pathways in patients with OSA. The changes of VEMPs in OSA patients and the value of VEMPs in clinical work were summarized in this review.