Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Children by Head Rotation Method: Normative Findings of Turkish Population

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the normal values of vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMPs) in healthy children by the head rotation method.
METHODS: 109 children ages 6–11 years with normal hearing underwent cVEMP testing with alternating clicks at intensities of 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 dB levels by using averaged, unrectified electromyograms recorded by a surface electrode on the sternocleidomastoid muscle ipsilateral to the stimulus. The P1 output latency, peak latencies of P1 and N1, P1-N1 peak-to-peak amplitude, and asymmetry ratio were measured.
RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between groups regarding interpeak amplitudes, P1 output latency, P1 latency (p>0.05). Whereas, the latency of N1 showed a statistically significant positive correlation with age (in group III, 25.04±2.34, in group II, 23.63±2.10, and in group III, 23.77±1.90, p<0.01). The amplitude asymmetry ratio also showed a statistically significant negative correlation with age (35.23±18.04, 26.26±18.21, and 19.58±14.69 I in groups, respectively, p=0.008). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant relationship between stimulus intensity and age. cVEMPs waves were obtained with higher stimulus intensity in early childhood, whereas lower stimulus intensity was sufficient to obtain cVEMPs waves in late childhood (p=0.033).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: cVEMP is an easily applicable, well-tolerated test for screening vestibular function with minimal test time and reproducible results. This is the first cVEMPs study to reveal the normative data of children by comparing latencies, amplitudes, and asymmetry ratios by the head rotation method.