Differences in semicircular canal function in the video head impulse test in patients in the chronic stage of sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo and vestibular neuritis.

Background: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss with vertigo (SHLV) and vestibular neuritis (VN) can result in prolonged dizziness.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the video head impulse test (vHIT) of patients with SHLV and VN.

Methods: Fifteen patients with SHLV and 21 patients with VN who visited the Vertigo/Dizziness Center of our hospital between December 2016 and February 2023 were included. vHIT was performed at the time of admission, and the VOR gain and catch up saccade (CUS) in the three types of semicircular canals (SCCs) were analyzed.

Results: Pathologic vHIT results were observed most frequently in the posterior SCC (73%), followed by lateral (53%) and anterior (13%) SCCs in the SHLV group. In contrast, pathologic vHIT results were observed most frequently in the lateral SCC (100%), followed by the anterior (43%) and posterior SCC (24%) SCCs in the VN group. Pathological vHIT results in the lateral and posterior SCC showed significant differences between the two groups, but for anterior SCC, no significant differences were found.

Conclusions and significance: Comparison of the two vHIT results revealed differences in the SCC dysfunction patterns. This may be due to the different pathophysiological mechanisms of the two vestibular disorders, which may result in prolonged vertigo.