Masseter vestibular evoked myogenic potential result of possible meniere's patients.

BACKGROUND: The Masseter Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potential (mVEMP) test evaluates the vestibulo-masseteric reflex neural pathway between the sound-stimulated saccule hair cells and the motor neurons of the trigeminal nerve.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the contribution of mVEMP to the conclusive diagnosis of recurrent vestibulopathy patients that were diagnosed with Possible Ménière's disease.

METHODS: The study includes 20 healthy individuals aged 18-40 years and 20 patients that were diagnosed with possible Ménière's disease according to the American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS, 1995) Guidelines for the Definition of Ménière's Disease. In addition to the AAO-HNS, 1995 criteria, the presence of aural signs on the affected side was questioned according to the Meniere's criteria updated in 2015. mVEMP records were obtained by using surface electrodes placed on masseter muscles. Latency and amplitude values and asymmetry ratios of mVEMP waves were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Asymmetry ratios were 15.9±9.7% for the control group, and 60.61±45.52 for the experimental group, this difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). The absolute latency and amplitude results were not statistically different between groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: As Murofishi (2001) stated in the literature, cervical VEMP/ocular VEMP latencies were not affected in peripheral pathologies, and in our study, no difference was observed between the groups in mVEMP latencies. The findings of our study showed that asymmetry ratio and absence of waves should be used in the clinical evaluation of Possible Meniere's disease. We conclude that mVEMP can be used to determine the lateralization of vestibular disorders and to support the presence of a vestibular pathology. mVEMP can contribute to the vestibular test battery.