Diagnostic assessment of patients with Meniere's disease through caloric testing and the video-head-impulse test / Avaliação diagnóstica dos pacientes com doença de Ménière por meio da prova calórica e do video-head impulse test

Abstract Introduction Meniere's disease is a labyrinth disease that usually presents with episodes of spontaneous vertigo associated with sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and ipsi- and unilateral aural fullness in most cases. Vestibular function tests, video-head-impulse test and the caloric test, are not specific for diagnosis of the disease, but may show alterations that help to evaluate the functional impairment. Objective To describe the results obtained at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test in patients with definite Meniere's disease and compare them between symptomatic, asymptomatic ears and those of the control group. Methods Cross-sectional and observational study including patients with definite Meniere's disease diagnosed according to the Bárány Society criteria (2015) and healthy individuals (control group) undergoing caloric test and video-head-impulse test. All subjects were assessed by neurotological anamnesis and audiological evaluation (pure-tone, vocal and immittance audiometry) to characterize the sample. The findings obtained at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test were described and compared between the symptomatic and asymptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease and those of the control group. Results Thirty-two patients with definite Meniere's disease were evaluated, with a mean age of 45.7 years, mostly females (68.8%) and unilateral disease. The control group consisted of 20 healthy individuals, with a mean age of 44.7 years, mostly females (70.0%). The groups were homogeneous in relation to age and gender. The patients' main complaint was vertigo (71.9%), and most patients had more than six episodes in the last six months (71.9%). Moderate sensorineural hearing loss was present in 38.5% of patients. The prevalence of hyporeflexia at the caloric test was higher in symptomatic (56.4%) and asymptomatic (36%) ears of patients with Meniere's disease compared to the ears of control subjects (7.5%), p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively. Video-head-impulse test alterations in the lateral semicircular canals were more frequent in the symptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in the ears of control subjects (p = 0.026). Conclusion Most patients with definite Meniere's disease showed hyporeflexia at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test with normal function in the symptomatic ear. Vestibular hyporeflexia at the caloric test was more frequent in the symptomatic and asymptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in the control group. The video-head-impulse test showed more alterations in the lateral semicircular canals.

Resumo Introdução Doença de Ménière é uma labirintopatia que geralmente se manifesta com episódios de vertigem espontânea, associada à perda auditiva neurossensorial, ao zumbido e à plenitude aural ipsi e unilateral, na maioria dos casos. Os testes da função vestibular, vídeo-teste do impulso cefálico e prova calórica não são específicos para a doença, porém podem apresentar alterações que ajudam a avaliar o comprometimento funcional. Objetivo Descrever os resultados obtidos à prova calórica e ao vídeo-teste do impulso cefálico nos pacientes com doença de Ménière definida e compará-los entre as orelhas sintomáticas, assintomáticas e com as orelhas dos indivíduos do grupo-controle. Método Estudo transversal e observacional que incluiu pacientes com doença de Ménière definida diagnosticados de acordo com os critérios da Sociedade Bárány (2015) e indivíduos saudáveis (grupo controle) submetidos à prova calórica e ao vídeo-teste do impulso cefálico. Todos os sujeitos foram avaliados por meio de anamnese otoneurológica e avaliação audiológica (audiometria tonal, vocal e imitanciometria) para caracterização da amostra. Os achados obtidos foram descritos e comparados entre as orelhas sintomáticas e assintomáticas dos pacientes com doença de Ménière e também com as do grupo-controle. Resultados Foram avaliados 32 pacientes com doença de Ménière definida. A média de idade dos pacientes foi de 45,7 anos, a maioria do sexo feminino (68,8%) e unilateral. O grupo-controle foi composto por 20 indivíduos saudáveis, com média de 44,7 anos e maioria feminina (70,0%). Os grupos mostraram-se homogêneos em relação à idade e ao sexo. A principal queixa dos pacientes foi a vertigem (71,9%). A maioria dos pacientes apresentou mais de seis crises nos últimos seis meses (71,9%). A perda auditiva neurossensorial moderada esteve presente em 38,5% dos pacientes. A prevalência da hiporreflexia à prova calórica foi maior nas orelhas sintomáticas (56,4%) e assintomáticas (36%) dos pacientes com doença de Ménière quando comparadas às orelhas dos indivíduos do grupo-controle (7,5%), valor de p< 0,001 e p= 0,004 respectivamente. As alterações de vídeo-teste do impulso cefálico de canal semicircular lateral foram mais frequentes nas orelhas sintomáticas dos pacientes com doença de Ménière do que nas orelhas dos indivíduos controles, (p= 0,026). Conclusão A maioria dos pacientes com doença de Ménière definida apresentou hiporreflexia à prova calórica e vídeo-teste do impulso cefálico com função normal na orelha sintomática. A hiporreflexia vestibular à prova calórica foi mais frequente nas orelhas sintomáticas e assintomáticas dos pacientes com doença de Ménière do que nas orelhas do grupo-controle. O vídeo-teste do impulso cefálico apresentou mais alterações no canal semicircular lateral.

Diagnostic assessment of patients with Meniere's disease through caloric testing and the video-head-impulse test.

INTRODUCTION: Meniere's disease is a labyrinth disease that usually presents with episodes of spontaneous vertigo associated with sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and ipsi- and unilateral aural fullness in most cases. Vestibular function tests, video-head-impulse test and the caloric test, are not specific for diagnosis of the disease, but may show alterations that help to evaluate the functional impairment. OBJECTIVE: To describe the results obtained at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test in patients with definite Meniere's disease and compare them between symptomatic, asymptomatic ears and those of the control group. METHODS: Cross-sectional and observational study including patients with definite Meniere's disease diagnosed according to the Bárány Society criteria (2015) and healthy individuals (control group) undergoing caloric test and video-head-impulse test. All subjects were assessed by neurotological anamnesis and audiological evaluation (pure-tone, vocal and immittance audiometry) to characterize the sample. The findings obtained at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test were described and compared between the symptomatic and asymptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease and those of the control group. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with definite Meniere's disease were evaluated, with a mean age of 45.7 years, mostly females (68.8%) and unilateral disease. The control group consisted of 20 healthy individuals, with a mean age of 44.7 years, mostly females (70.0%). The groups were homogeneous in relation to age and gender. The patients' main complaint was vertigo (71.9%), and most patients had more than six episodes in the last six months (71.9%). Moderate sensorineural hearing loss was present in 38.5% of patients. The prevalence of hyporeflexia at the caloric test was higher in symptomatic (56.4%) and asymptomatic (36%) ears of patients with Meniere's disease compared to the ears of control subjects (7.5%), p<0.001 and p=0.004, respectively. Video-head-impulse test alterations in the lateral semicircular canals were more frequent in the symptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in the ears of control subjects (p=0.026). CONCLUSION: Most patients with definite Meniere's disease showed hyporeflexia at the caloric test and video-head-impulse test with normal function in the symptomatic ear. Vestibular hyporeflexia at the caloric test was more frequent in the symptomatic and asymptomatic ears of patients with Meniere's disease than in the control group. The video-head-impulse test showed more alterations in the lateral semicircular canals.