Usefulness of the Video Head Impulse Test for the Evaluation of Vestibular Function in Patients With Otitis Media With Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis

OBJECTIVES: To investigate usefulness of the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) as a method for evaluating semicircular canal function in patients with otitis media with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (OMAAV). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Fourteen patients with OMAAV underwent vestibular examination. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The gain in vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and the presence of catch-up saccade were examined for each semicircular canal. RESULTS: Seven (50.0%) of the 14 patients felt subjective symptoms of disequilibrium. Dysfunction in at least one semicircular canal was detected in all ears of the OMAAV patients evaluated by vHIT. Dysfunction in posterior semicircular canal was detected more frequently than that in the anterior or horizontal canal. There were no significant correlations between the gain in VOR and hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: vHIT is thought to be the most suitable method for evaluating semicircular canal function in patients with OMAAV as vHIT is not influenced by middle ear pathology and was able to evaluate vertical canal function including the posterior canal.