The Head Impulse Test in the Screening of Vestibular Function

NCT ID: NCT01426932

Last Updated: 2013-07-01

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Total Enrollment: 50 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2011-10-31
• Study Completion Date: 2013-12-31

Brief Summary

The alternate binaural bithermal caloric test (ABBT) is a well established examination in the evaluation of the dizzy patient. ABBT is useful in detecting the side of peripheral vestibulopathy by stimulating each ear separately, it contributes to the diagnosis of bilateral vestibular involvement when all responses to cold and warm stimuli are reduced, and adds to the differentiation of peripheral from central vestibular involvement by measuring the fixation-induced inhibition of the caloric response. In spite of these benefits, ABBT is the most time-consuming part of the electronystagmography/Videonystagmography (ENG/VNG) test battery, and frequently causes significant inconvenience to the patient due to the repeated extreme vestibular stimuli.

The head impulse test (HIT) assesses vestibular function by brisk, passive rotations of the head in the plane of the examined semicircular canals. Whenever the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is deficient, this maneuver would produce catch-up saccades aiming to the re-fixation of the eyes on the target. Hence, both residual VOR and catch-up saccades act synergistically to stabilize gaze. The HIT requires only several minutes and might cause minimal discomfort only.

The study hypothesis is that the HIT recorded by standard VNG equipment of the VNG system would provide diagnostic information on the side of vestibular involvement matching that of the ABBT.

Conditions

Vertigo

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Interventions

Video recording of Head Impulse Test

Video recording of Head Impulse Test

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age > 18 years
• Videonystagmography(VNG) test battery is indicated for the diagnosis of dizziness or vertigo

Exclusion Criteria

• Signs of retrocochlear lesion or central vestibular pathology in bed-side otoneurological examination or audiometry or ENG/VNG
• Age < 18 years
• Otitis externa
• Otitis media
• Tympanic membrane perforation
• Status Post Mastoidectomy
• Limitations of neck movements in the horizontal plain

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Clalit Health Services, Haifa and West Galilee

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Meir Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Otoneurology Unit, Lin Medical Center, 35 Rotchild Avenue

Haifa, , Israel

Countries

Israel

Other Identifiers

HITVNG

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id