Clinical uses of cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential testing in pediatric patients

Medicine (Baltimore). 2014 Jun;93(4):e37. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000000037.

Abstract

To demonstrate the feasibility and clinical significance of cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) test in pediatric patients.Retrospective review study was conducted in a pediatric tertiary care facility. A total of 278 patients were identified with adequate data, including medical notes, results of cVEMP, and imaging studies.Among the total of 278 pediatric patients, only 3 children were not able to finish the cVEMP test successfully. In about 90% of the cases, the cVEMP test was requested to investigate a patient's hearing loss and/or vestibular complaints. Over 90% of the cVEMP tests were ordered by specialists such as pediatric otolaryngologists or otologists. Obtained cVEMP results provided useful information in clinical diagnosis and management in all cases.It is feasible to conduct cVEMP testing in children, including infants, and cVEMP testing can provide valuable information in the diagnosis and management of hearing loss and vestibular impairment. This simple and noninvasive test should be embraced by pediatric professionals.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cooperative Behavior
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Female
  • Hearing Loss / diagnosis*
  • Hearing Loss / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Interdisciplinary Communication
  • Male
  • Neck Muscles / innervation
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Referral and Consultation
  • Saccule and Utricle / physiopathology
  • Tertiary Care Centers
  • Vestibular Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Vestibular Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials / physiology*
  • Vestibular Nerve / physiopathology