Audiological Evaluation and Cochlear Reserve in Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Abstract

Background: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a peripheral vestibular disorder affecting the semicircular canal (SCC). It is  important to determine the potential contribution of posterior canal BPPV (PC-BPPV) to function of cochlear outer hair cells, by  application of Otoacoustic emission (DPOAE and TEOAE) and to investigate changes of pure tone audiometry (PTA) thresholds in patients  suffering from PC-BPPV.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the audiological and cochlear reserve in PC-BPPV.

Patients and Methods:  This prospective study involved twenty patients with PC-BPPV. All patients in this study were evaluated by the Dix Hallpike test.  Basic audiological evaluations included pure tone audiometry (PTA), immittancemetry and otoacoustic emissions audiometry (OEA),  which included transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE).

Results:  There was a significant positive correlation between age and pure tone audiometry (PTA), which increased by increase of the age in the  studied PC-BPPV patients. Also, there was a significant negative relationship only between DPOAE (1 KHz) and PTA (1 KHz) but DPOA at 2,  4, and 8 KHz revealed statistically non-significant difference at all other OAE PTA.

Conclusion: We concluded that as the age increased, a  statistically significant threshold increased at high frequencies (4000 to 8000 Hz) suggestive of presbycusis. Considering the correlation  between PTA and DPOAE, we concluded that otoacoustic emissions could be a complementary modality for the detection and control of  hearing abilities.