The clinical course of vestibular neuritis from the point of view of the ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential

Background Studying otolith functions after unilateral vestibular neuritis using ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials and subjective visual vertical tests could give different results. Method A total of 39 patients underwent a vestibular assessment that included the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and horizontal and vertical semicircular canal function testing with video head impulse testing, ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potential testing, cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials and subjective visual vertical testing. Results All patients showed a significant alteration (asymmetry ratio more than 40 per cent) for ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials as well as for subjective visual vertical testing (more than -2 degrees to more than +2 degrees) during the acute phase, whereas after 72 hours from the acute vertigo attack normal values (asymmetry ratio less than 40 per cent) were found in 6 out of 39 patients for ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials and 36 out of 39 for the subjective visual vertical (less than -2 degrees to less than +2 degrees). Conclusion Ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials are the most suitable test to evaluate otolith functions in patients with unilateral vestibular neuritis in the acute and sub-acute phase.