[Clinical ocular-motor disturbances in multiple sclerosis].

UNLABELLED: Otoneurologic bedside examination with testing eye movements gives valuable information about static and dynamic properties of balance system and may give topodiagnostyc information about the side of lesion in patients with vertigo, dizziness and disequilibrium.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: was to present the scheme of otoneurological bedside examination and usefulness of ocular motor disturbances index in evaluation of Multiple Sclerosis patients status.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty patients with diagnosis of MS, seen in outpatient neurology clinic, Medical University of Lodz, from 2002 to 2004, were enrolled into the study. Patient's history of vertigo, dizziness, hearing loss and vision disturbances were evaluated. The clinical bedside ocularmotor examination was performed in all patients. It was composed of seven tests on the basis on which we introduce ocular motor disturbances index--IRZ.

RESULTS: The most frequent abnormalities were found in clinical saccadic test in 30% and smooth pursuit in 22%. MS patients who had in clinical eye movements examination IRZ bigger than 3 point formed the abnormal clinical examination group' (ACE)-- 31.7%. In u 68.3% the index was less than normal clinical examination group' (NCE). The longer duration of the disease was observed in ACE group. Comparisons of functional neurological score EDSS and for cerebellar and brainstem subscale were significantly greater in ACE group.

CONCLUSION: Otoneurological bedside examinations with dynamic tests and introducing quantitative the ocular motor disturbances index is a valuable method of evaluation of visual-ocularmotor reflex and may be used in monitoring MS course of disease.