Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.  2017 Jun;10(2):148-152. 10.21053/ceo.2016.00948.

Vestibular Neuritis With Minimal Canal Paresis: Characteristics and Clinical Implication

• Kim HJ
• Kim DY
• Hwang JH
• Kim KS

• KMID: 2380432
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21053/ceo.2016.00948

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To analyze the clinical characteristics of vestibular neuritis patients with minimal canal paresis (canal paresis <25%).
METHODS
Patients clinically diagnosed with vestibular neuritis and treated at our institute (n=201) underwent otoneurological examination and vestibular function tests. Patients were categorized in terms of the results of caloric testing (canal paresis<25%, n=58; canal paresis≥25%, n=143). Clinical characteristics and laboratory outcomes were compared between two groups.
RESULTS
Existence of underlying diseases, preceding symptoms, and direction of spontaneous nystagmus were not different between the groups. The mean duration of spontaneous nystagmus was shortest in the minimal canal paresis group (P<0.001) and the direction of spontaneous nystagmus changed more frequently in this group (P<0.001) during recovery. Among the subgroup with minimal canal paresis, only 29.5% had an abnormal finding on the rotatory chair test, as compared to 81.5% of the canal paresis group. The minimal canal paresis group showed higher sensory organization test scores in computerized dynamic posturography.
CONCLUSION
Patients with minimal canal paresis (canal paresis <25%) show similar clinical manifestations as conventional vestibular neuritis patients, but have faster recovery of symptoms and a higher incidence of recovery nystagmus. This finding support that the minimal canal paresis could be considered as a milder type of vestibular neuritis.

Keyword

Vestibular Neuritis; Canal Paresis; Spontaneous Nystagmus; Vertigo

MeSH Terms

Caloric Tests
Humans
Incidence
Paresis*
Vertigo
Vestibular Function Tests
Vestibular Neuronitis*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Gain in sinusoidal harmonic acceleration (SHA) testing of the patients. There were significant differences between the groups in 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, and 0.08 Hz. CP, canal paresis.

• 

  Fig. 2. Comparison of equilibrium scores of the sensory organization tests between patients with and without minimal canal paresis (CP). There were statistically significant differences both in condition 5 and condition 6. *P<0.05.

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