Acta Otolaryngol. 2026 Jun 2:1-7. doi: 10.1080/00016489.2026.2677603. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder that may affect multiple organ systems. While cochlear and otolith involvement has been investigated, the impact on semicircular canal-mediated vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) function remains unclear.
AIMS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate canal-specific, high-frequency VOR function in women with PCOS using the video head impulse test (vHIT) and compare findings with healthy controls.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: This single-center case-control study included 42 women with PCOS (Rotterdam criteria) and 35 age-matched controls. vHIT was performed using the Interacoustics EyeSeeCam system. Canal-specific VOR gains, asymmetry indices (LARP, RALP, lateral), and corrective saccade frequencies were analyzed.
RESULTS: After correction for multiple comparisons (Benjamini-Hochberg method), LARP asymmetry was the only parameter that remained statistically significant in PCOS (p = 0.002; p = 0.019). Unadjusted differences in left lateral and right posterior canal gains did not survive correction. Corrective saccade frequency did not differ between groups.
CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Women with PCOS exhibited subtle, canal-specific differences in high-frequency VOR function. However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously, and their clinical significance remains uncertain.
PMID:42228394 | DOI:10.1080/00016489.2026.2677603
