✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Audiologists and vestibular specialists should consider muscle weakness from iron deficiency anaemia as a potential confound when interpreting absent cervical VEMP responses, and may need to verify adequate sternocleidomastoid muscle activation before concluding saccular dysfunction.
Misattributing absent cVEMP responses to saccular pathology in anaemic patients could lead to unnecessary vestibular diagnoses; clarifying the methodological confound has direct implications for test interpretation.
- 01Absent cVEMP (cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential) responses are reported in iron deficiency anaemia.
- 02Two competing explanations: true saccular (inner-ear balance organ) dysfunction vs. insufficient sternocleidomastoid (neck muscle) activation.
- 03Iron deficiency anaemia may reduce muscle strength, affecting the muscle contraction needed for a valid cVEMP.
- 04Published as a letter in Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica, so evidence level is opinion/commentary.
- 05Has direct relevance to vestibular test interpretation in patients with systemic conditions.
Absent cervical VEMP responses in iron deficiency anaemia may reflect insufficient sternocleidomastoid activation rather than true saccular hypofunction.
opinionpartially supportedIron deficiency anaemia is associated with absent cervical VEMP responses.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42969782
- DOI
- 10.14639/0392-100X-A2799.
- Journal
- Acta Otorhinolaryngologica Italica
- Publication type
- editorial
- Evidence level
- 5
- Population
- Patients with iron deficiency anaemia undergoing cervical VEMP testing
- Intervention
- Cervical VEMP testing in the context of iron deficiency anaemia
Primary outcomes
Presence or absence of cervical VEMP responses; Determination of cause: saccular hypofunction vs. inadequate SCM activation