ABSTRACT
Objective:To describe the audiological, vestibular and radiological profile of patients with migrainous vertigo. Methods: This is a prospective descriptive study of patients who presented with migrainous vertigo in a tertiary care institute over one year.All patients between the ages of twenty to sixty who presented between 2013 and 2014 with migrainous vertigo diagnosed according to Neuhauser’s criteria were included in this study. The diagnostic intervention was audiovestibular tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain with gadolinium. The main outcome measures were types and degree of auditory and vestibular deficits; MRI findings in migrainous vertigo, and whether age at presentation and duration of symptoms affected these findings.Results:Of the 112 patients recruited, the overall female-to male ratio was 1.7: 1. On pure tone audiogram, 18 (16%) patients had sensorineural hearing loss and this was similar in age groups40 years. Caloric abnormalities were seen in 64 (61.5%) patients and there was no significant difference in the younger versus older age groups. MRI abnormality was present in 24% and the commonest finding was deep white matter hyperintensities in the brain. In the 7 years with MRI abnormalities, and this difference was statistically significant (Chi sq 4.14, p=0.041). Conclusions:Both audiological and vestibular abnormalities were seen in migrainous vertigo patients and older age did not appear to be an additional risk factor for the presence of theseabnormalities. Deep white matter hyperintensities were the commonest abnormality found on MRI scans and longer headache duration was associated with higher chances of MRI abnormalities in younger people.