Artigo de revisão Resumo O objetivo desta revisão é destacar a história, método de realização do teste do potencial evocado miogênico vestibular (VEMP), além de discutir as suas aplicações, no intuito de ajudar os profissionais no manejo desse novo recurso. O VEMP vem sendo empregado como exame complementar em estudos otoneurológicos, para avaliação funcional das vias envolvidas desde a condução do estímulo na orelha média até a resposta reflexa no músculo esternocleidomastóideo. O registro do VEMP pode ser obtido a partir de um aparelho de potenciais evocados auditivos. A estimulação auditiva com sons de elevada intensidade é a técnica mais utilizada. Estudos realizados verificaram o valor do VEMP no diagnóstico e monitoramento de diversas doenças de origem central e periférica, como doença de Meniere, trauma acústico, fenômeno de Tullio, degeneração espinocerebelar, deiscência do canal vestibular superior, neurinoma do acústico, esclerose múltipla, vertigem posicional paroxística benigna e neuronite vestibular. Descritores: Potencial evocado motor; Nervo vestibular; Testes de função vestibular.

Vertigo and dizziness are among the most common medical complaints in the emergency room, and are associated with a considerable personal and health care burden. Scarce and conflicting reports indicate those symptoms may present a seasonal distribution. This study aimed at investigating the existence of a seasonal distribution of vertigo/dizziness in a tropical region, and the correlations of these findings with climatic variables. The charts of all patients consecutively admitted between 2009 and 2012 in the emergency room of a Brazilian general hospital were reviewed. A total of 4920 cases containing these terms were sorted from a sample of 276,076 emergency records. Seasonality was assessed using Cosinor Analysis. Pearson's correlations were performed between the incidence of consultations, considering separately dizziness and vertigo and each of the predictor climatic variables of that index month. Significant seasonal patterns were observed for dizziness and vertigo in the emergency room. Vertigo was more frequent in late winter-spring, negatively correlating to humidity (r = -0.374; p = 0.013) and rainfall (r = -0.334; p = 0.020). Dizziness peaked on summer months, and positively correlated to average temperatures (r = 0.520; p < 0.001) and rainfall (r = 0.297; p = 0.040), but negatively to atmospheric pressure (r = -0.424; p = 0.003). The different seasonal patterns evidenced for dizziness and vertigo indicate possible distinct underlying mechanisms of how seasons may influence the occurrence of those symptoms.

Qual ity of life (QoL) is significantly impaired by vertigo. The effect of specific treatments on QoL deserves investigation. Aim:To assess the effect of repositioning maneuvers on the QoL of benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV) patients. Materials and methods:A retrospective study design consiting of reviews of charts of BPPV patients in a vestibular rehabilitation unit at a teaching institution in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, from 2007 to 2008. Pre-and post-therapy (Epley's repositioning maneuver) scores on the physical, functional and emotional dimensions of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) were analyzed.Results: Twenty-one patients were included, eighteen (86%) were females; the average age was 53.2 years. Ten patients presented bilateral BPPV; in eleven it was unilateral. The mean interval between assessments (pre-and post-treatment) was 21 days. The average number of required maneuvers was 2.3 (±1.1). Pre-treatment DHI results showed a significant impact of BPPV on quality of life. Initial scores for physical (17.5), functional (17.3), emotional (13.2) dimensions decreased with therapy: respectively 3.7, 3.9, and 3.2 (p<0.001). Conclusion:In the present sample, Epley's maneuver had a positive and significant effect on emotional, physical and functional dimensions of quality of life, as measured by the DHI scores before and after therapy. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2010;76(6):704-8. ORIGINAL ARTICLE BJORL

We established normal values of cervical myogenic vestibular responses in children between 8 and 13 years without neurotological complaints.

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