Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The most frequent neurologic cause of recurrent vertigo is vestibular migraine (VM). However, its diagnosis relies primarily on patients’ histories, as specific diagnostic tests for VM are currently lacking. We aimed to examine and compare clinical features,...

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Main Authors: Franko Batinović, Davor Sunara, Nikolina Pleić, Vana Košta, Jelena Gulišija, Ivan Paladin, Zrinka Hrgović, Mirko Maglica, Zoran Đogaš
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/4/825
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author Franko Batinović
Davor Sunara
Nikolina Pleić
Vana Košta
Jelena Gulišija
Ivan Paladin
Zrinka Hrgović
Mirko Maglica
Zoran Đogaš
author_facet Franko Batinović
Davor Sunara
Nikolina Pleić
Vana Košta
Jelena Gulišija
Ivan Paladin
Zrinka Hrgović
Mirko Maglica
Zoran Đogaš
author_sort Franko Batinović
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: The most frequent neurologic cause of recurrent vertigo is vestibular migraine (VM). However, its diagnosis relies primarily on patients’ histories, as specific diagnostic tests for VM are currently lacking. We aimed to examine and compare clinical features, vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VORs), and subjective visual vertical (SVV) between the ictal (IC) and inter-ictal (II) phases in VM patients. <b>Methods</b>: A repeated-measures study involved 31 patients with definite VM. Vestibular function was assessed using a video head impulse test (vHIT) to evaluate VOR results, and SVV testing to determine verticality perception. Otoneurological examination, including migraine-related disability, was noted. Analyses of repeated measures for numerical traits (SVV deviations, VOR, and clinical outcomes) were conducted using a linear mixed model (LMM), with phase, age, and sex as fixed effects and individual-specific random intercepts. Differences between the IC and II phases for dichotomous variables were analyzed using the χ2 or Fisher’s exact test. <b>Results</b>: The LMM analysis revealed that SVV deviations were significantly higher ictally (IC-ly) (β = 0.678, <i>p</i> = 1.51 × 10<sup>−6</sup>) than interictally (II-ly). VOR results remained normal across phases (<i>p</i> > 0.05), and refixation saccades did not differ significantly based on vHIT results (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Nausea (100% vs. 38.71%, <i>p</i> = 6.591 × 10<sup>−8</sup>), photophobia (100% vs. 35.48%, <i>p</i> = 1.839 × 10<sup>−8</sup>), and phonophobia (90.32% vs. 6.45%, <i>p</i> = 9.336 × 10<sup>−12</sup>) were significantly more frequent IC-ly than II-ly. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings highlight phase-dependent alterations in spatial orientation, with increased SVV deviations IC-ly despite stable VOR. The significant differences in migraine-associated symptoms reinforce the dynamic nature of VM. These results emphasize the importance of timing in vestibular assessments and suggest that SVV testing during IC VM episodes may enhance diagnostic accuracy.
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spelling doaj-art-020a27035d5e4e0189305deadc6c68d42025-08-20T03:14:20ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-03-0113482510.3390/biomedicines13040825Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular MigraineFranko Batinović0Davor Sunara1Nikolina Pleić2Vana Košta3Jelena Gulišija4Ivan Paladin5Zrinka Hrgović6Mirko Maglica7Zoran Đogaš8Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Split, Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Split, Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Biology and Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Split, Šoltanska 2A, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital of Split, Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital of Split, Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Split, Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Family Medicine, Health Center of Split—Dalmatia County, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital of Split, Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, CroatiaDepartment of Neuroscience and Sleep Medicine Center, School of Medicine, University of Split, Šoltanska 2A, 21000 Split, Croatia<b>Background/Objectives</b>: The most frequent neurologic cause of recurrent vertigo is vestibular migraine (VM). However, its diagnosis relies primarily on patients’ histories, as specific diagnostic tests for VM are currently lacking. We aimed to examine and compare clinical features, vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VORs), and subjective visual vertical (SVV) between the ictal (IC) and inter-ictal (II) phases in VM patients. <b>Methods</b>: A repeated-measures study involved 31 patients with definite VM. Vestibular function was assessed using a video head impulse test (vHIT) to evaluate VOR results, and SVV testing to determine verticality perception. Otoneurological examination, including migraine-related disability, was noted. Analyses of repeated measures for numerical traits (SVV deviations, VOR, and clinical outcomes) were conducted using a linear mixed model (LMM), with phase, age, and sex as fixed effects and individual-specific random intercepts. Differences between the IC and II phases for dichotomous variables were analyzed using the χ2 or Fisher’s exact test. <b>Results</b>: The LMM analysis revealed that SVV deviations were significantly higher ictally (IC-ly) (β = 0.678, <i>p</i> = 1.51 × 10<sup>−6</sup>) than interictally (II-ly). VOR results remained normal across phases (<i>p</i> > 0.05), and refixation saccades did not differ significantly based on vHIT results (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Nausea (100% vs. 38.71%, <i>p</i> = 6.591 × 10<sup>−8</sup>), photophobia (100% vs. 35.48%, <i>p</i> = 1.839 × 10<sup>−8</sup>), and phonophobia (90.32% vs. 6.45%, <i>p</i> = 9.336 × 10<sup>−12</sup>) were significantly more frequent IC-ly than II-ly. <b>Conclusions</b>: Our findings highlight phase-dependent alterations in spatial orientation, with increased SVV deviations IC-ly despite stable VOR. The significant differences in migraine-associated symptoms reinforce the dynamic nature of VM. These results emphasize the importance of timing in vestibular assessments and suggest that SVV testing during IC VM episodes may enhance diagnostic accuracy.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/4/825vestibular migrainevertigovestibular testsvideo head impulse testsubjective visual vertical
spellingShingle Franko Batinović
Davor Sunara
Nikolina Pleić
Vana Košta
Jelena Gulišija
Ivan Paladin
Zrinka Hrgović
Mirko Maglica
Zoran Đogaš
Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine
Biomedicines
vestibular migraine
vertigo
vestibular tests
video head impulse test
subjective visual vertical
title Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine
title_full Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine
title_fullStr Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine
title_short Clinical Features, Video Head Impulse Test, and Subjective Visual Vertical of Acute and Symptom-Free Phases in Patients with Definite Vestibular Migraine
title_sort clinical features video head impulse test and subjective visual vertical of acute and symptom free phases in patients with definite vestibular migraine
topic vestibular migraine
vertigo
vestibular tests
video head impulse test
subjective visual vertical
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/4/825
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