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Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in Behcet's disease.

Erbek S, Erbek SS, Yilmaz S, Yucel E, Ozluoglu LN

Department of Otolaryngology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, 06640, Bahcelievler, Ankara, Turkey, seyraerbek@yahoo.com.

The aim of this study was to investigate vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) and their clinical significance in Behcet's disease. Twenty-six patients with Behcet's disease and 25 healthy volunteers were evaluated for pure tone audiometry, caloric response, and VEMPs. Sensorineural hearing loss was found in 53.8% of patients with Behcet's disease, which was significantly higher than controls. Four patients had canal paresis, but no controls; this difference was not significant. Although VEMP recordings were elicited in all study subjects, mean p13 and n23 latencies were prolonged in Behcet's patients compared with controls. Seven patients had delayed VEMP responses. There were no correlations regarding p13 values and age, duration or activity of disease, vertigo, or sensorineural hearing loss. The results of this preliminary study suggest an association between delayed VEMP responses and Behcet's disease. Further research with large samples is needed to confirm that VEMP testing is useful to diagnose and follow vestibular dysfunction in Behcet's disease.

Published 26 March 2008 in Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol.
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