PP1510 - Estimating Vestibular Migraines Through Asymmetricities of Vestibular Function: Retrospective Analysis of Vestibular Tests

Vestibular migraine (VM) is known as a subtype of migraine characterized by recurrent vestibular symptoms related to migraine symptoms. Our growing knowledge of VM suggests a likely combination of peripheral and central mechanisms. However, there is no clear diagnostic tool or test battery to determine a VM in the clinic. The majority of VM patients who undergo vestibular testing (oculomotor, rotary chair, etc.) are found to have normal results, making it much more difficult to diagnose a VM. This study aims to identify possible asymmetries within vestibular thresholds that could indicate the presence of a VM through retrospective data analysis.


Summary:

Rationale/

Purpose:

            Individuals who suffer from vestibular migraine (VM) symptoms face extreme deficits in their quality of life. Furthermore, many VM patients tend to be misdiagnosed due to a lack of knowledge regarding this ailment. A misdiagnosis, or lack thereof, could lead patients to isolate themselves or avoid day-to-day activities due to symptoms and pain. More research on the phenomenon of vestibular migraines is crucial to helping improve the quality of life of patients who live with this deficit. However, there is no clear diagnostic tool or test battery to determine a VM in the clinic. The majority of VM patients who undergo vestibular testing (oculomotor, rotary chair, etc.) are found to have normal results, making it much more difficult to diagnose a VM.  The purpose of this preliminary study is to observe asymmetries of vestibular thresholds within the current vestibular test batteries (oculomotor, rotary chair, etc.) that could indicate patterns of the presence of a VM.

Methods:

            60 patients who underwent vestibular testing were extracted from the patient database of the University of Louisville Hospital, Audiology Clinic. Subjects’ demographic information (sex and age), caloric response results, oculomotor results, rotary chair results, positional testing results, and overall diagnosis were collected. Those subjects vestibular testing results were analyzed using multidimensional analysis to determine a relationship between VM and a pattern of vestibular asymmetry.

Results/

Conclusion:

The results of the preliminary data analysis suggest that there may be evidence for the relationship between VM and vestibular-related asymmetries. Future work will include more patient data to power statistical significance for this relationship and thus provide a potential design of VM diagnostic tools. An increased understanding of how asymmetric vestibular function affects VM will be clinically essential to better identify and properly diagnose VM for Audiologists and Otolaryngologists.