The ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (oVEMPs) in patients with Meniere's disease.

Menière’s disease still poses a diagnostic and therapeutic problem. Currently Menière’s disease is diagnosed according to clinical criteria by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) 1995. These criteria are two or more episodes of vertigo, longer than 20 mins, perceptive hearing loss, tinnitus or aural fullness and exclusion of alternative causes of the complaints. Menière’s disease is accompanied by endolymphatic hydrops which probably inflicts damage to the cochlea and the vestibular organ. Current standard vestibular testing (Electronystagmography (ENG)) solely tests the function of one of the five subcomponents of the vestibular organ, the horizontal semicircular canal. In Menière patients the ENG shows variable responses and in many cases this test is normal. An additional vestibular test, the ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (oVEMP) test, can be used to evaluate the function of two other subcomponents, the two otolith organs. In this study we will compare the oVEMP responses of Menière patients to responses in normal subjects.

In patients with Meniere's disease an altered of absent oVEMP-response is seen.

01-03-09: Start of study.

oVEMP-test.

For the oVEMP-test 5 electrodes will be placed on the face of the patient and an acoustic stimulus will be delivered to the ears with the patient in supine position with raised eyes. The main study parameter is the amplitude and threshold of the oVEMP-response, which will be compared to our clinical standard.