Prevalence of self-perceived audiovestibular symptoms in Egyptian COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: According to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), UK, common audiovestibular symptoms of COVID-19 include dizziness, tinnitus, and otalgia. The pathogenesis of otologic disorders ranges from direct damage to the inner ear structures to immune-mediated damage. Since the start of the pandemic, the prevalence of audiovestibular symptoms linked to COVID-19 has not been thoroughly investigated in Egypt. Our objective is to study and analyze the prevalence of the audiovestibular symptoms in the Egyptian population with history of COVID-19 infection. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Egyptian adults on the presence and nature of the audiovestibular manifestations in COVID-19 patients. An online questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was developed using Google Form. It was disseminated to the target population through social platforms from October 2021 till February 2022. RESULTS: Data from 245 respondents were collected through online assessment of a convenient sample. The following de novo audiovestibular symptoms were experienced by the participants: Vertigo 20.8%, hearing loss 13.9%, tinnitus 12.7% and ear fullness 11.4%. No correlation was found between the investigations done (D-Dimer, CT chest) and the audiovestibular symptoms. CONCLUSION: Audiovestibular symptoms are fairly common among COVID-19 patients, with higher prevalence, particularly of vertigo, in our study sample compared to the literature. It is recommended that patients with audiovestibular symptoms undergo early testing so that prompt interventions can be taken.

The Conventional Head Impulse Test Versus the Suppression Head Impulse Test: A Clinical Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: The suppression head impulse test is a new paradigm of the head impulse test, recently introduced for clinical use. The aim of this study was to assess the importance of the suppression head impulse paradigm in evaluating vestibular function. METHODS: This comparative study was conducted from June 2020 to June 2022. The ears of the participants were divided into 2 groups: (i) ears with vestibular weakness and (ii) healthy controls. All participants underwent video head impulse tests at the time of presentation with both conventional head impulse paradigm and suppression head impulse paradigm, performed by the same examiner. The results of the 2 tests were compared, and the correlation between the corresponding parameters obtained (vestibulo-ocular reflex gain and saccades) was examined. RESULTS: Ninety-five participants were included in the study (190 ears) with a mean age of 42.2 ± 12.6 years. Forty-six ears had vestibular weakness, and 144 were healthy controls. The suppression head impulse paradigm test showed a significantly lower vestibulo-ocular reflex gain than the head impulse paradigm in both groups. A positive correlation emerged between the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain measured with both paradigms. Regarding the saccades, a negative correlation was observed between the overt saccades latency and amplitude measured with both paradigms. CONCLUSION: The new suppression head impulse paradigm complements the head impulse paradigm for a better evaluation of the vestibular function. The inconsistency of covert saccades in suppression head impulse paradigm makes it superior to head impulse paradigm in measuring vestibulo-ocular reflex gain, especially in patients with vestibular loss.

Evaluation of postural stability and vestibulo-ocular reflex in adults with chronic suppurative otitis media.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the vestibulospinal reflex and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) using posturography and the video head impulse test (vHIT). METHODS: Sixty-five patients with CSOM and 65 healthy participants as controls were included. Patients with CSOM were instructed to complete the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). All participants underwent otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry, posturography sensory organization test (SOT), and vHIT. RESULTS: Patients with CSOM exhibited a high prevalence of dizziness. The CSOM group had poor SOT vestibular scores compared to the control group. Patients with CSOM had worse sways in the antero-posterior and mediolateral planes. The CSOM group was divided into two subgroups according to the type of hearing loss. SOT vestibular scores were significantly poorer in the mixed hearing loss group than those in the conductive hearing loss group. We found a positive correlation between disease duration and poor SOT vestibular scores. Moreover, poor SOT vestibular scores correlated with high DHI scores. We found abnormalities in the vHIT results in the CSOM group in the form of low VOR gain and corrective saccades. CONCLUSION: Our study provides clinical evidence of dizziness, poor postural control, and VOR abnormalities in patients with CSOM. The presence of sensory elements of hearing loss in patients with CSOM appears to be positively associated with vestibular dysfunction.

Video head impulse test in bilateral vestibulopathy / Teste do impulso efálico com vídeo (vHIT) na vestibulopatia bilateral

Abstract Introduction: Bilateral vestibulopathy is a rare chronic condition with multiple etiologies. Bilateral vestibulopathy is characterized mainly by unsteadiness when walking or standing, which worsens in darkness, as well as oscillopsia. The degree of handicap caused by bilateral vestibulopathy is variable and remains controversial. Objectives: To determine the value of the video Head Impulse Test in quantifying vestibular deficit and to establish its impact on the quality of life. Methods: Twenty patients (mean age, 41.9 years; range 14-80 years) fulfilling the recent Barany criteria of bilateral vestibulopathy, responded to the Situational Vertigo Questionnaire and underwent vestibular examination including fixation, positional tests, oculomotor test battery and video head impulse test. Results: The relation between each of the video head impulse test parameters and the scores from the questionnaire were statistically analyzed. We observed that patients with covert saccades on the video head impulse test were more likely to have a better quality of life than those with both covert and overt saccades, regardless of the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain in each semicircular canal. The presence of covert saccades was found to be associated with an improved quality of life regardless of the severity of vestibule ocular reflex-deficit. Our conclusion was that vestibule ocular reflex gain, measured by video head impulse test, does not quantify the severity of affection of quality of life in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy. Conclusion: Covert saccades are strategies aiming at minimizing the blurring of vision during head movement, that is an adaptive mechanism that improves quality of life. Therefore, we recommend that video head impulse test should be a part of the routine diagnostic workup of bilateral vestibulopathy.

Resumo Introdução: A vestibulopatia bilateral é uma condição crônica rara, com múltiplas etiologias. É caracterizada principalmente por instabilidade ao caminhar ou ficar de pé, que piora na escuridão, e oscilopsia. O grau de deficiência causado pela vestibulopatia bilateral é variável e permanece controverso. Objetivos: Determinar o valor do teste do impulso cefálico na quantificação do déficit vestibular e estabelecer seu impacto na qualidade de vida. Método: Vinte pacientes (média de 41,9 anos; variação de 14 a 80) que atendiam aos critérios recentes da Bárány Society de vestibulopatia bilateral responderam ao Situational Vertigo Questionnaire e foram submetidos a exame vestibular, inclusive fixação, testes posicionais, bateria de testes oculomotores e teste do impulso cefálico com vídeo. Resultados: A relação entre cada um dos parâmetros do teste do impulso cefálico com vídeo e os escores do questionário foram analisados estatisticamente. Observamos que pacientes com sacadas corretivas cobertas do tipo covert no teste de impulso cefálico com vídeo tinham maior probabilidade de ter melhor qualidade de vida do que aqueles com ambas sacadas corretivas cobertas e sacadas corretivas abertas do tipo overt, independentemente do ganho no reflexo vestíbulo-ocular em cada canal semicircular. Verificou-se que a presença de sacadas corretivas do tipo covert está associada a uma melhor qualidade de vida, independentemente da gravidade do déficit no reflexo vestibulo-ocular. Concluímos que o ganho no reflexo vestíbulo-ocular, medido pelo teste do impulso cefálico com vídeo, não quantifica a gravidade do comprometimento da qualidade de vida em pacientes com vestibulopatia bilateral. Conclusão: As sacadas corretivas do tipo covert são estratégias que visam minimizar o embaçamento da visão durante o movimento da cabeça, ou seja, um mecanismo adaptativo que melhora a qualidade de vida. Portanto, recomendamos que o teste do impulso cefálico com vídeo faça parte da rotina de diagnóstico da vestibulopatia bilateral.

Video head impulse test in bilateral vestibulopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Bilateral vestibulopathy is a rare chronic condition with multiple etiologies. Bilateral vestibulopathy is characterized mainly by unsteadiness when walking or standing, which worsens in darkness, as well as oscillopsia. The degree of handicap caused by bilateral vestibulopathy is variable and remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of the video Head Impulse Test in quantifying vestibular deficit and to establish its impact on the quality of life. METHODS: Twenty patients (mean age, 41.9 years; range 14-80 years) fulfilling the recent Barany criteria of bilateral vestibulopathy, responded to the Situational Vertigo Questionnaire and underwent vestibular examination including fixation, positional tests, oculomotor test battery and video head impulse test. RESULTS: The relation between each of the video head impulse test parameters and the scores from the questionnaire were statistically analyzed. We observed that patients with covert saccades on the video head impulse test were more likely to have a better quality of life than those with both covert and overt saccades, regardless of the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain in each semicircular canal. The presence of covert saccades was found to be associated with an improved quality of life regardless of the severity of vestibule ocular reflex-deficit. Our conclusion was that vestibule ocular reflex gain, measured by video head impulse test, does not quantify the severity of affection of quality of life in patients with bilateral vestibulopathy. CONCLUSION: Covert saccades are strategies aiming at minimizing the blurring of vision during head movement, that is an adaptive mechanism that improves quality of life. Therefore, we recommend that video head impulse test should be a part of the routine diagnostic workup of bilateral vestibulopathy.

Effect of different head impulse procedures on vestibulo-ocular reflex gain.

OBJECTIVE: to study the effects on vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain using both video head impulse test (vHIT) and Suppression Head impulse test (SHIMP) either using the outward or the inwards head impulse. METHODS: Twenty healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. They were examined using otometric vHIT and SHIMP test lateral plane using the lateral outwards head impulse ten impulses for each side and the inwards head impulse ten impulses for each side. The VOR gain resulting from the outwards versus inwards head impulse during the vHIT and SHIMP were statistically compared. RESULTS: Twenty healthy subjects, 10 Males and 10 females with a mean age 35±11.7. Paired t- test showed no statistical significance difference in the mean VOR gain of right lateral semicircular canal (1.1±.12) using outwards versus (1.03 ± .22) inwards head impulses, nor for the left lateral semicircular canal mean VOR gain (1.1 ± .22) using outwards head impulse (1.1 ± .3) for inwards head impulse in vHIT. Paired t- test showed no statistical significance difference in the mean VOR gain of right lateral semicircular canal (0.96 ± 0.2)using outwards versus (1.04 ± 0.2) inwards head impulses, nor for the left lateral semicircular canal mean VOR gain (0.98 ± 0.25) using outwards head impulse (1.1 ± 0.28) for inwards head impulse in SHIMP test. No statistical significant difference was found between the VOR gain resulting from the right versus the left semicircular canal. CONCLUSION: The starting head position does not affect the VOR gain using both vHIT and SHIMP tests.

Effect of different head impulse procedures on vestibulo-ocular reflex gain

Objective: to study the effects on vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain using both video head impulse test (vHIT) and Suppression Head impulse test (SHIMP) either using the outward or the inwards head impulse.MethodsTwenty healthy subjects were enrolled in the study. They were examined using otometric vHIT and SHIMP test lateral plane using the lateral outwards head impulse ten impulses for each side and the inwards head impulse ten impulses for each side. The VOR gain resulting from the outwards versus inwards head impulse during the vHIT and SHIMP were statistically compared.ResultsTwenty healthy subjects, 10 Males and 10 females with a mean age 35±11.7. Paired t- test showed no statistical significance difference in the mean VOR gain of right lateral semicircular canal (1.1±.12) using outwards versus (1.03 ± .22) inwards head impulses, nor for the left lateral semicircular canal mean VOR gain (1.1 ± .22) using outwards head impulse (1.1 ± .3) for inwards head impulse in vHIT. Paired t- test showed no statistical significance difference in the mean VOR gain of right lateral semicircular canal (0.96 ± 0.2)using outwards versus (1.04 ± 0.2) inwards head impulses, nor for the left lateral semicircular canal mean VOR gain (0.98 ± 0.25) using outwards head impulse (1.1 ± 0.28) for inwards head impulse in SHIMP test. No statistical significant difference was found between the VOR gain resulting from the right versus the left semicircular canal.ConclusionThe starting head position does not affect the VOR gain using both vHIT and SHIMP tests. (AU)

Objetivo: Estudiar el efecto sobre la ganancia de reflejo vestíbulo-ocular (RVO) utilizando tanto la prueba de impulso cefálico videoasistida (vHIT) como la prueba de supresión del paradigma del impulso cefálico (SHIMP), usando el impulso cefálico o bien hacia fuera o hacia dentro.MétodosParticiparon en el estudio 20 sujetos sanos. Fueron examinados usando las pruebas vHIT y SHIMP de Otometrics para probar el plano lateral usando el impulso cefálico lateral hacia fuera, 10 impulsos para cada lado, y el impulso cefálico hacia dentro, 10 impulsos para cada lado. Se comparó estadísticamente la ganancia de RVO resultante del impulso cefálico hacia fuera por comparación con el impulso cefálico hacia dentro durante las pruebas vHIT y SHIMP.ResultadosSe estudiaron a 20 sujetos sanos, 10 hombres y 10 mujeres, con una edad media de 35 ± 11,7. La prueba T para muestras emparejadas no mostró una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la ganancia RVO media del canal semicircular lateral derecho (1,1 ± 0,12) usando impulsos cefálicos hacia fuera por comparación con impulsos hacia dentro (1,03 ± 0,22), ni tampoco en el caso de la ganancia de RVO media del canal semicircular lateral izquierdo (1,1 ± 0,22) usando el impulso cefálico hacia fuera (1,1 ± 0,3) para la prueba de impulso cefálico hacia dentro en la prueba vHIT. La prueba T para muestras emparejadas no mostró una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la ganancia RVO media del canal semicircular lateral derecho (0,96 ± 0,2) usando impulsos cefálicos hacia dentro (1,04 ± 0,2) por comparación con impulsos cefálicos hacia fuera, ni para la ganancia de RVO media del canal semicircular lateral izquierdo (0,98 ± 0,25) usando impulso cefálico hacia fuera (1,1 ± 0,28) para el impulso cefálico hacia dentro en la prueba SHIMP. No se observó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la ganancia de RVO resultante de comparar el canal semicircular derecho con el izquierdo.(AU)

Clinical significance of video head impulse test in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To document the effect of cupula deflection in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) through the measured Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex (VOR) gain in individual semi-circular canals. METHODS: A literature search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was performed on December 30, 2020. The following terms were entered in the title, abstract, and keywords in the electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library search engines in different combinations: "Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo" or "Benign Positional Vertigo" or "BPPV," and "Video Head Impulse" or "vHIT". All types of studies were included in the initial search. An additional inclusion criterion was the presence of numerical values of VOR gains of the tested canals in the reports. RESULTS: A total of 122-screened articles were obtained from the electronic database search. Finally, the authors settled on five original articles for meta-analysis with a total of 168 patients (123 with posterior canal BPPV, 28 with lateral canal BPPV, and 17 with anterior canal BPPV) and 85 controls. The main outcomes of these studies comprised the VOR gains of the lateral, posterior, and anterior SCCs on the affected side relative to that in the contralesional side, and/or healthy controls. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis shows that vHIT can be valuable as a supporting test in the diagnosis of BPPV, especially for posterior canal BPPV.

Eye movements and imaging in vestibular migraine / Movimientos oculares y pruebas de imagen en migraña vestibular

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Migrainous dizziness is one of the most frequent complaints. Dizziness associated with migraine may be the result of abnormal eye movements. Brain imaging and changes in eye movements may explain the dizziness and highlight possible pathophysiological substrates in migraine dizziness. Our aim is to evaluate eye movement using videonystagmography (VNG) and video head impulse test (vHIT) and to study the occipital lobe metabolic profile in vestibular migraine patients (VM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 2 groups enrolled in the study; the first group consisted of 25 vestibular migraine patients (VM) according to the recent criteria of Barany society. The second group consisted of 20 age matched healthy subjects. Both groups underwent the following: (1) A detailed history, VNG test protocol, vHIT in three planes. (2) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the brain and inner ear using 1.5 T magnet and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H1-MRS). RESULTS: Sixty eight percent of the patients complained of spontaneous vertigo and 28% complained of positional vertigo. Non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus was recorded in 92% during their dizzy spell. The brain MRI was unremarkable in 72% of the cases. Chemical shift in the occipital lobe was found in 92% of VM. Lactate peaks were statistically significant related with the presence of non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant relationship exists between non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus and presence of lactate peaks in the occipital lobe in VM patients

ANTECEDENTES Y OBJETIVO: El mareo migrañoso es una de las quejas más frecuentes. Las pruebas de imagen del cerebro y los cambios en los movimientos oculares pueden explicar los mareos y destacar los posibles sustratos fisiopatológicos en la migraña vestibular. Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar el movimiento ocular utilizando videonistagmografía (VNG) y la prueba de impulso cefálico por vídeo (vHIT), y estudiar el perfil metabólico del lóbulo occipital en pacientes con migraña vestibular (VM). MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se incluyeron dos grupos en el estudio; el primer grupo consistió en 25 pacientes con VM según los criterios recientes de la sociedad Bárány. El segundo grupo consistió en 20 sujetos sanos emparejados por edad. Ambos grupos se sometieron a lo siguiente: 1) Una historia detallada, protocolo de prueba de VNG y vHIT en 3 planos, y 2) Imágenes de resonancia magnética (IRM) para el cerebro y el oído interno con el imán de 1,5 tesla y la espectroscopía de resonancia magnética de protones (H1-MRS). RESULTADOS: El 68% de los pacientes se quejó de vértigo espontáneo, y el 28% de vértigo posicional. El nistagmo posicional no paroxístico se registró en el 60% de los pacientes durante su mareo. La resonancia magnética cerebral no mostró alteraciones en el 72% de los casos. El cambio químico en el lóbulo occipital se encontró en el 92% de los casos de VM. Los picos de lactato fueron estadísticamente significativos con relación a la presencia de nistagmo posicional no paroxístico. CONCLUSIONES: Existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre el nistagmo posicional no paroxístico y la presencia de picos de lactato en el lóbulo occipital en pacientes con VM

Eye movements and imaging in vestibular migraine.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Migrainous dizziness is one of the most frequent complaints. Dizziness associated with migraine may be the result of abnormal eye movements. Brain imaging and changes in eye movements may explain the dizziness and highlight possible pathophysiological substrates in migraine dizziness. Our aim is to evaluate eye movement using videonystagmography (VNG) and video head impulse test (vHIT) and to study the occipital lobe metabolic profile in vestibular migraine patients (VM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: There were 2 groups enrolled in the study; the first group consisted of 25 vestibular migraine patients (VM) according to the recent criteria of Barany society. The second group consisted of 20 age matched healthy subjects. Both groups underwent the following: (1) A detailed history, VNG test protocol, vHIT in three planes. (2) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the brain and inner ear using 1.5T magnet and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H1-MRS). RESULTS: Sixty eight percent of the patients complained of spontaneous vertigo and 28% complained of positional vertigo. Non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus was recorded in 92% during their dizzy spell. The brain MRI was unremarkable in 72% of the cases. Chemical shift in the occipital lobe was found in 92% of VM. Lactate peaks were statistically significant related with the presence of non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant relationship exists between non-paroxysmal positional nystagmus and presence of lactate peaks in the occipital lobe in VM patients.

Video head impulse test (vHIT) in migraine dizziness.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Migraine is an extremely prevalent primary headache disorder that frequently associates parallel symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus and hearing loss. Our aim is to investigate differences in video head impulse (vHIT) results with patients suffering from vestibular migraine (VM) and healthy people, taking into consideration mean values of vestibule ocular reflex (VOR) gain, occurrence of the compensatory saccades latency and amplitude. According to the results, determine the usefulness of vHIT in vestibular migraine diagnostics. METHODS: A total number of 120 subjects were enrolled in the study, 80 of them were vestibular migraine patients (VM), while the other 40 were a control group of age matched healthy subjects. History was taking during the evaluation; videonystagmography and the video head impulse test were done. RESULTS: The rate of saccades is much more higher in the VM group compared to the healthy subjects group, only 7.5% of the VM group showed a low VOR gain with compensatory saccades denoting a vestibular deficit. CONCLUSION: The refixation saccades are an important sign that could underlie different vestibular problems. vHIT result can contribute to the completion of full mosaic of vestibular migraine diagnostics.