Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Preterm Infants

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine whether there was an association between perinatal risk factors of prematurity and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs). A prospective case-control trial was designed. Fifty preterm newborns (100 ears) with a gestational age <37 weeks were included. The control group consisted of 20 healthy term infants (40 ears). VEMP recordings were performed, and mean latencies of p13 were calculated in all study subjects. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the influence of perinatal variables on abnormal VEMP responses. VEMPs were elicited in all term infants (40 ears). In preterm infants, the responses were normal in 71 ears, delayed in 24 and absent in 5. There was a significant difference between abnormal VEMP rates for preterm and term infants (p < 0.001). Asphyxia (OR = 13.985, p = 0.048) and time of VEMP test (OR = 0.865, p = 0.038) were related to abnormal VEMP responses. There was no association between delayed VEMPs and gestational age, birth weight, hemoglobin and bilirubin levels, phototherapy, intracranial hemorrhage, convulsions, sepsis, ototoxic drugs, transfusion, mechanical ventilation, retinopathy of prematurity, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and respiratory distress syndrome. These results suggest a delay in the maturation of VEMPs in premature infants. Asphyxia was the most important risk factor for abnormal VEMP responses in preterm infants.

Assessment of functional development of the otolithic system in growing children: A review

“…As the response rate and p13 latency of cVEMPs at day 5 did not significantly differ from those at day 6-13 [24], those neonates with p13 latency >14.9 (mean + 2SD) ms are defined as ''prolonged'', probably due to incomplete maturation (especially the myelination) of the sacculo-collic reflex pathway. Asphyxia is the most important risk factor for abnormal cVEMPs in preterm infants [39].…”

The effect of saccular function on static balance ability of profound hearing-impaired children

“…vestibular nerve, and the vestibulospinal tract [11], but also in assessing the growth of saccluo-colloc reflex in healthy newborns and children [11][12][13][14] as well as in determining its fundamental parameters [11,15] and comparing the response between healthy newborns and pre-term ones [16,17]. ASNR is believed to have a vestibular origin, especially the saccule and vestibular nuclei, and is a large response elicited by high-intensity-level stimulation in people with profound hearing loss [18][19][20][21][22][23].…”

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in term newborn infants with severe hyperbilirubinemia

“…In the published reports, only two studies examined the VEMP and bilirubin association 25,26 . In our previous study we looked into preterm infants and their VEMP, but we could not find an association between VEMP latencies and bilirubin levels 26 .…”

“…The purpose of the VEMP test is to determine if the saccule, one portion of the otoliths and the inferior vestibular nerve and central connections are intact and work normally. Normal values for their thresholds, latencies, amplitudes, and side‐to‐side differences have been defined 21,23–26 . In this study, the significant prolongation of latencies was calculated in cases of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.…”

“…Normal values for their thresholds, latencies, amplitudes, and side-to-side differences have been defined. 21,[23][24][25][26] In this study, the significant prolongation of latencies was calculated in cases of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Sheykholesami et al first investigated the availability of VEMP recordings in infants aged 1-12 months.…”