Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential Responses in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Özet

Introduction: To evaluate vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) test responses in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: Thirty patients who were followed up for SLE in rheumatology clinic were referred for the cVEMP test. A complete head and neck examination, neurotological examination, pure tone audiometry, and tympanogram test were performed for all patients. Seven patients with neurotological, acute and chronic otitis media, hearing the loss in pure audio audiometry, abnormal tympanogram, head and neck trauma, and disease and drug use history that could affect the vestibular system were excluded. Thirty healthy controls without medical therapy and systemic disease history that could affect the vestibular and auditory system and with normal pure tone audiometry and normal tympanogram were included in the study. Both the patient and healthy control groups were tested for cVEMP from 100 dB to 85 dB stimulation. The amplitude and latency values of cVEMP responses of the control group and SLE group were compared. Results: No response was obtained in five patients in the SLE group, whereas all frequency responses were obtained in all the controls. There was a decrease in the amplitudes and latency prolongation in the SLE group compared to the control group. Discussion and Conclusion: Autoimmune diseases have been previously shown to contribute to the pathophysiology of endolymphatic hydrops. SLE is an autoimmune disease and can lead to saccular hydrops, which can be demonstrated by the cVEMP test.