Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia:

Fatma Atalay; Murat  Yaşar; Tuba Uyanık; Sezai Sacid Anbar

Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia

Fatma Atalay Murat Yaşar Tuba Uyanık Sezai Sacid Anbar

Kastamonu University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology

Kastamonu University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine

Kastamonu Training and Research Hospital, Department of Audiology

iron deficiency anemia vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials vestibular system hypoxia

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate vestibular functions using cVEMP in patients with IDA, and to investigate the early detection of potential vestibular hypofunction.

Methods: In this prospective study, the cVEMP results of 34 adult patients diagnosed with IDA and with no vestibular symptoms were compared with those of 34 odiologically healthy controls. P1-N1 latency times, interpeak amplitudes, and amplitude asymmetry rates were analyzed and compared between the groups.

Results: 136 ears of 68 participants, 34 patients with IDA and 34 healthy controls were included in the study. There was no significant age or gender difference between the groups (p=0.180, p=0.726, respectively). The absent VEMP response rate was significantly higher in the IDA group than in the control group (p<0.05). No significant differences were determined between the IDA and control groups in terms of P1 latency, N1 latency, interpeak amplitude, or threshold values (p=0.903, p=0.407, p=0.761, p=0.729, respectively). The asymmetry rate was significantly higher in the IDA group than in the control group (p< 0.05).

Conclusion: The increase in absent VEMP response and asymmetry rates in patients with IDA indicates that peripheral vestibular hypofunction has developed in these patients.