Improving vestibular evoked myogenic potential reliability by using a blood pressure manometer.
OBJECTIVE
To improve the reliability of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), we propose a feedback method making use of a readily available blood pressure manometer with inflatable cuff to control the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) contraction.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
The feedback method for SCM contraction consisted of subjects pushing with their jaw against the hand-held inflated cuff to generate a specified cuff pressure. This pressure level was monitored by subject and investigator. First, we tested in a group of healthy subjects whether there was a learning or fatigue effect during four successive SCM contraction runs when making use of the feedback method. Then, we investigated the mean rectified voltage (MRV) values of the SCM. Next, we examined the hypothesis that the MRV values of the SCM contraction measured before and simultaneously with the VEMP test were equal when using this feedback method. Finally, we compared the VEMP amplitude variability in two circumstances: with and without the feedback method.


RESULTS
There was no learning or fatigue effect, and the MRV values measured before the VEMP were not significantly different from those measured during the VEMP test. The VEMP amplitude variability was significantly lower when applying the feedback method than when no feedback method was used.


CONCLUSIONS
This feedback method improves significantly the VEMP amplitude reliability.
Vanspauwen
Robby
R
Vestibular Function Laboratory, University Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
Wuyts
Floris L
FL
Van de Heyning
Paul H
PH
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D009334:Neck Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity