Aphysiologic performance on dynamic posturography in work-related patients.

It has been suggested that malingering should be suspected in patients suffering from dizziness or imbalance and who had a potential gain associated with insurance and worker's compensation claims. This study aimed to assess and compare the prevalence of aphysiologic performance on computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) in patients with the potential for secondary gain using a retrospective review of two groups of patients: work-related patients referred for dizziness and/or imbalance (Group 1) were compared against a group of patients with complaints of dizziness or imbalance, who had no history of work-related injury, or litigation procedures (Group 2). CDP and videonystagmography (VNG) were carried out in all patients. The Sensory Organization Test summaries were scored as normal, aphysiologic, or vestibular using the scoring method published by Cevette et al. in Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 112:676-688 (1995). 24 out of 88 (27%) patients had aphysiologic CDP in Group 1 and 9 out of 51 (18%) in Group 2 but these differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Definite signs of vestibular dysfunction were found in 12 out of 24 (50%) of patients with aphysiologic performance in Group 1 although the presence of VNG abnormalities was significantly higher (p = 0.005) in Group 2. The hypothesis that the occupational group could show a significantly higher rate of aphysiologic results than a control group is not confirmed. Furthermore, VNG abnormalities were found in 50% of the work-related cases with non organic sway patterns. These results suggest that patient's complaints should be considered genuine in work-related cases and due caution exercised when evaluating aphysiologic CDP patterns.

Resultados de pruebas de control postural y función vestibular en 51 pacientes con antecedente de latigazo cervical y síntomas de vértigo e inestabilidad / Results of balance control and vestibular function tests in 51 patients with whiplash injury complaining of dizziness and imbalance

Introducción y objetivos. El vértigo y la inestabilidad tienen una importante implicación médico-legal en el paciente con antecedente de latigazo cervical (LC). En estos casos la posturografía dinámica computarizada (PDC) aporta información adicional a las pruebas vestibulares estándar y tiene descritos patrones compatibles con escasa colaboración o falta de sinceridad al esfuerzo, también denominados afisiológicos. El objetivo de este trabajo es valorar las características de las pruebas de equilibrio y función vestibular en pacientes con LC y especialmente, los resultados afisiológicos. Material y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con antecedente de LC con vértigo y/o inestabilidad. Se realizó videonistagmografía (VNG) y PDC. Los resultados de la prueba de organización sensorial (SOT) se valoraron como normales, vestibulares o afisiológicos usando el método de cálculo publicado por Cevette et al. en 1995. Resultados. Cincuenta y uno pacientes (24 varones, 27 mujeres); edad media: 42,2 años; tiempo de evolución medio: 3,8 m; PDC afisiológica: 13 (25,5%); PDC vestibular: 9 (17,6%); PDC normal: 29 (56,9%); VNG normal: 29 (56,9%); VNG alterada: 22 (43,1%); VNG vestibular: (n=11); VNG central: (n=6), y VNG cervical: (n=5). En el 46,2% de pacientes con PDC afisológica la VNG estaba alterada. Conclusiones. La prevalencia de pruebas afisiológicas en la PDC en el LC es relativamente elevada sin que deba suponerse simulación o exageración ya que en muchos casos existen signos objetivos de disfunción vestibular. Sería recomendable realizar pruebas de función vestibular a los pacientes con LC con síntomas vertiginosos. La rehabilitación vestibular podría ser de utilidad en estos casos (AU)

Introduction. The medical legal implications of dizziness and imbalance among patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are important. In these cases, Computerized Dynamic Posturography (CDP) provides information to standard vestibular tests and patterns consistent with scarce collaboration or lack of sincerity on efforts have been described. Objectives. This work has aimed to assess the prevalence of altered balance and vestibular function tests in patients with whiplash injury, and especially the aphysiologic results. Material and methods. A retrospective review of patients with whiplash injury referred for assessment of dizziness and/or imbalance was carried out. Standard videonistagmophgraphy (VNG) assessment including CDP was performed in all patients. The Sensory Organization Test (SOT) summaries were scored as normal, aphysiologic, or vestibular using the scoring method published by Cevette et al. in 1995. Results. The study included 51 patients (24 men, 27 women) with mean age: 42.2 years. Mean evolution time was 3.8 m. Aphysiologic CDP 13 (25.5%); vestibular CDP 9 (17.6%); normal CDP 29 (56.9%). Normal VNG 29 (56.9%); altered VNG in 22 (43.1%): vestibular VNG (n=11); central VNG (n=6); cervical VNG (n=5). VNG was altered in 46.2% of patients with aphysiologic CDP. Conclusions. The prevalence of aphysiologic results on CDP among whiplash injury patients is relatively high, however, this should not necessarily be consider to be related to malingering or exaggeration since objective signs of vestibular dysfunction are found in many cases. Thus, we recommend these tests should be done in whiplash injury patients complaining of dizziness and imbalance. Vestibular rehabilitation could be of interest in the recovery of these patients (AU)

Advantages of binaural hearing provided through bimodal stimulation via a cochlear implant and a conventional hearing aid: a 6-month comparative study.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study data demonstrate the additional benefit derived from continued use of a contralateral hearing aid (HA) post-cochlear implantation for speech recognition ability in quiet and in noise. Postoperative bimodal stimulation is recommended for all subjects who show some speech recognition ability in the contralateral ear as it may offer binaural listening advantages in various listening situations encountered in everyday life. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits derived from bimodal stimulation for experienced HA users implanted with a cochlear implant (CI) (score=20% in disyllabic test). The correlation between pre- and postoperative performance on speech perception measures was examined to determine additional criteria for recommending bimodal stimulation postoperatively. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A within-subject repeated-measures design was used, with each subject acting as their own control. Assessments were carried out preoperatively in aided monaural and best-aided conditions and at 6 months postoperatively in CI-alone, contralateral HA-alone and bimodal listening conditions. Speech recognition using Spanish words and sentences materials was assessed at conversational level and for soft speech in quiet. Speech comprehension in noise was assessed using word materials at a signal:noise ratio of +10, for coincident speech in noise and for spatially separated speech in noise. Twelve adult native Spanish subjects with a severe-to-profound hearing impairment who were experienced with optimally fitted conventional amplification and who displayed suboptimal speech understanding preoperatively were enrolled in the study. Preoperatively, conventional amplification was worn by five subjects binaurally and by seven monaurally. RESULTS: Postoperatively, superior speech recognition ability in quiet and in noise for disyllabic words was achieved using bimodal stimulation in comparison to performance for either monaural aided condition. Mean improvement in speech recognition in the bimodal condition was significant over performance in the CI-alone condition for disyllabic words in quiet at 70 (p=0.006) and 55 dB SPL (p=0.028), for disyllabic words in noise at +10 dB with speech and noise spatially separated with the noise source closest to the contralateral HA (S0NHA) (p=0.0005) and when the noise source was closest to the CI ear (S0NCI) (p=0.002). When testing word recognition in noise with speech and noise sources coincident in space, word scores were superior in the bimodal condition relative to the CI-alone condition but this improvement was not significant (p=0.07). The advantages of bimodal stimulation included significant effects of binaural summation in quiet and significant binaural squelch effects in both the S0NHA and S0NCI test conditions. All subjects showed superior performance in the binaural situation postoperatively relative to the best-aided condition preoperatively for one or more test situations.

[Endolymphatic sac tumor and von Hippel-Lindau disease. Review of the literature]. / Tumor del saco endolinfático y enfermedad de Von Hippel-Lindau. Revision de la literatura.

This report describes a patient with Von Hippel-Lindau disease revealed by an endolymphatic sac tumor. Endolymphatic sac tumor (EST) was only recently recognized as a manifestation of Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. EST are vascular lesions that destroy and expand bone. We report a recently treated case of an EST. A 30-year-old woman presented with otalgia and hearing loss. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed typical features of an EST. We checked for VHL and found this disease in the patient. VHL disease is a hereditary cancer syndrome caused by germline mutations of the VHL tumor suppressor gene. A molecular diagnosis of VHL is nowadays available, and this has change the clinical management of patients and their families. Diagnosis of VHL has to be suspected in patients with a VHL-related tumor without familial history and especially in those cases of hemangioblastoma or endolymphatic sac tumors. Such patients should be systematically investigated for clinical and molecular evidence of VHL disease.

Tumor del saco endolinfático y Enfermedad de Von Hippel-Lindau. Revisión de la literatura / Endolymphatic sac tumour and Von Hippel-Lindau disease. Review of the literature

Este artículo describe a una paciente con la enfermedad de Von Hippel-Lindau revelada por un tumor del saco endolinfático. El tumor del saco endolinfático (TSE) fue reconocido recientemente como una manifestación de la enfermedad de Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL). El TSE es una lesión vascular que destruye y amplía el hueso. Relatamos un caso recientemente tratado de un TSE. Se trata de una mujer de 30 años con hipoacusia y otalgia. La tomografía computerizada y la resonancia magnética mostraron las características típicas de un TSE. El estudio para descartar la VHL confirmó la misma. La enfermedad de VHL es un síndrome neoplásico hereditario causado por las mutaciones del gen supresor del tumor de VHL. Hoy en día disponemos de la posibilidad de un diagnóstico molecular de VHL, lo que conlleva a una transformación de la expectativa de los pacientes en su familia. El diagnóstico de VHL debe sospecharse en pacientes con un tumor asociado al VHL sin historial familiar y especialmente en casos de hemangioblastomas o de tumores del saco endolinfático. Tales pacientes deben ser investigados sistemáticamente para descartar la enfermedad de VHL (AU)

This report describes a patient with Von Hippel-Lindau disease revealed by an endolymphatic sac tumor. Endolymphatic sac tumor (EST) was only recently recognized as a manifestation of Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. EST are vascular lesions that destroy and expand bone. We report a recently treated case of an EST. A 30-year-old woman presented with otalgia and hearing loss. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed typical features of an EST. We checked for VHL and found this disease in the patient. VHL disease is a hereditary cancer syndrome caused by germline mutations of the VHL tumor suppressor gene. A molecular diagnosis of VHL is nowadays available, and this has change the clinical management of patients and their families. Diagnosis of VHL has to be suspected in patients with a VHL-related tumor without familial history and especially in those cases of hemangioblastoma or endolymphatic sac tumors. Such patients should be systematically investigated for clinical and molecular evidence of VHL disease (AU)