[Vestibular evoked myogenic potential findings on multiple sclerosis].
BACKGROUND
Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) elicited by acoustic stimulation, has been proposed in the assessment of vestibulospinal pathways.


OBJECTIVE
To research the clinical utility of VEMP on multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
Forty-four individuals were evaluated (30 normal state and 14 had MS). The acoustic stimuli were short tone burst (1 kHz, 118 dBNa, rise-fall 1 ms, plateau 2 ms) presented through a supra-aural earphone. The stimulation rate was 5 stimuli per second.


RESULTS
All the healthy subjects showed a normal VEMP response. In the MS group, abnormal VEMP was recorded among 92.8% of patients and normal in just one case. The P13-N23 increased of prolongation which was the most frequently alteration (57.1%), followed by absence of response among four (28.5%) cases.


CONCLUSIONS
VEMP was considered a good method of diagnostic support of vestibulospinal tract in cases of MS.
Felipe
L
L
Curso de Posgrado en Infectología y Medicina Tropical, Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. lilianfelipe@hotmail.com
Carvalho
S A S
SA
Cunha
L C M
LC
Santos
M A R
MA
Peixoto
M A L
MA
Gonçalves
D U
DU
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult