The relationship between senile hearing loss and vestibular activity.

INTRODUCTION A considerable high number of SNHL patients also suffer from dizziness and related vestibular symptoms. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association of vestibular dysfunction and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in adult patients. METHODS Prospective, double-blinded, controlled studies composed by 63 adult patients without any vestibular symptoms or diagnosed vestibular diseases. Audiological status was measured with pure tone audiometry and the vestibular system was tested with vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP). Patients were divided into two groups: a study group (patients with SNHL) and a control group (patients without SNHL). VEMP results of the groups were calculated and compared. RESULTS Mean P1 (23.54) and N1 (30.70) latencies were prolonged in the study group (p<0.001) and the amplitudes of the study group were significantly reduced (p<0.001). Both parameters of the VEMP test were abnormal in the study group when compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that age-related SNHL may be accompanied by vestibular weakness without any possible predisposing factors for vestibulopathy.