Evaluation of Saccule Function in Patients with Vitamin D Deficiency

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Considering important role of vitamin D in many physiological processes including vestibular system in the ear, aim of present study is to evaluate saccule function via cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), in patients with vitamin D deficiency. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: After routine audiological tests, cVEMP were recorded in 15 patients with vitamin D deficiency and 16 normal subjects. The short tone burst (95 dB nHL, 500 Hz) was presented to ears. cVEMP was recorded with surface electromyography over the contracted ipsilateral sternocleidomastoid muscle. RESULTS: Mean of p13, n13, interpeak latencies and amplitude ratios were measured in both groups. Statistical analysis did not show differences between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Maybe serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was not low enough to have effect on saccule in the patients in present study or saccule have had low susceptibility to effects of vitamin D deficiency. For better judgment about effect of vitamin D deficiency on saccular function planning studies with high sample size is recommended.