en Audiology Audiology Original Research: Clinical Science Original Research: Clinical Science <p>&nbsp;<strong> Background: </strong>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune systemic disease. Most common autoimmune diseases are multisystem disorders that may also present with otological manifestations, and autoimmune inner ear disease accompanied by vestibular dysfunction. This study aimed to compare the vestibular function between RA patients and normal subjects using cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs).</p> <p>&nbsp;<strong> Methods </strong>: In this cross- sectional study, 25patients with RA (19 female and 6 male: mean (&plusmn;SD) age, 40.00 (&plusmn;7.92) years) and 20 healthy subjects (15 female and 5 male: mean (&plusmn;SD) age, 35.35 (&plusmn;10.48) years) underwent cVEMPs, using 500 Hz-tone bursts at 95 dB nHL intensity level. Data were analyzed using independent sample t-test through SPSS software v. 16.</p> <p>&nbsp;<strong> Results </strong>: The mean peak latency of p13 was significantly higher in RA patients (p<0.001). The mean peak latency of n23 was significantly higher in patients in the left ear (p=0.03). Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) responses were present in all (100%) of the participants. There were no significant differences in mean peak to peak amplitude and amplitude ratio between the two groups.</p> <p>&nbsp;<strong> Conclusion </strong>: According to the prolonged latency of VEMP responses in RA patients, lesions in the retrolabyrinthine, especially in the vestibulospinal tract are suspected.</p> Rheumatoid arthritis, Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials, Saccule, Sternocleidomastoid 457 462 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-840&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Nahid Heydari n-heydari@razi.tums.ac.ir 200319475328460024427 200319475328460024427 No School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Fahimeh Hajiabolhassani abolhassani@sina.tums.ac.ir 200319475328460024428 200319475328460024428 Yes Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Jamileh Fatahi jfatahi@yahoo.com 200319475328460024429 200319475328460024429 No Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Shafieh Movaseghi movaseghi@gmail.com 200319475328460024430 200319475328460024430 No Rheumatology Research Center, Imam Khomeini hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Shohreh Jalaie jalaeish@tums.ac.ir 200319475328460024431 200319475328460024431 No Department of Biostatistics, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran.