Migrainous Vertigo: Clinical and Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) Findings

Migrainous vertigo (MV) is one of the most common cause of episodic vertigo and is increasingly recognized among neurologist and migraine specialist. Although MV is not included currently in the classification of the International Headache Society (IHS), specific criteria has been proposed and utilized in clinical trials. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical presentation, VEMP findings in MV. It was also designed to compare the VEMP findings in migrainous patients with and without vertigo and lastly to test the sensitivity of VEMP in diagnosing MV. The study included thirty eight patients diagnosed as migraine headache according to IHS, and 18 healthy control subjects matched the patients′ age and sex. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group I included 20 patients had migraine with vertigo. They underwent a Structured Interview for the diagnosis of MV. Sixteen patients of group I scored 7 and diagnosed as MV, 4 patients did not score 7 and excluded from the study (they had basilar artery migraine). The other group (group II) included 18 patients who had migraine without vertigo. All the patients submitted to full neurological assessment including: full history taking, and basic neurological examination, and full audiological assessment including: full audiological history, otological examination, basic audiological evaluation, and VEMP test. Clinical assessment of the symptoms of MV, comparison of the VEMP data between the patients and control group as well as between group I and group II patients were done. It was concluded that MV can be considered as a distinctive entity, Structured Interview is helpful in the diagnosis of MV and VEMP has a role in the diagnosis of MV. (Egypt J. Neurol. Psychiat. Neurosurg., 2005, 42(2): 341-350).