Evaluation of high frequency horizontal VOR parameters in patients with chronic bilateral and unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND

Caloric test is one of the tests which evaluates the low frequency component of vestibular system for both diagnosis of the BPV and UPV.

AIMS: The main objectives are to determine and increase the diagnostic value of BPV and UPV by evaluating the high frequency horizontal VOR parameters with HIMP, SHIMP and fHIT, to compare test results with healthy controls, and to evaluate correlation of these tests with vertigo dizziness imbalance (VDI) questionnaire results in these patients.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Six patients with BPV, ten patients with UPV and fifteen healthy controls were recruited. High frequency hVOR were evaluated with HIMP, SHIMP and fHIT. Vestibular symptoms and quality of life were assessed with VDI Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Lower percentage of correct answers, and lower VOR gains were obtained in affected sides for BPV and UPV. HIMP elicited compensatory saccades in patients, whereas SHIMP elicited large anticompensatory saccades in controls and unaffected side of UPV, but no saccades in BPV. No correlation was found between VDI outcomes and all tests.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that all tests are complementary each other and able to identify the affected labyrinth and to show residual vestibular function. These tests are thought to be important in the vestibular rehabilitation process.