Abstract

Background and Objective: The advent of rotation test and computed dynamic posturography, along with the caloric test has endowed the physician with an amazing insight into the pathophysiology of the vestibular system. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of the three vestibular function tests in unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy according to compensation. Materials and Methods: Among 612 patients who have received vestibular function test in Asan Medical Center, from January to December in 1998, this study was performed on 121 patients who showed canal paresis of 20% or more in caloric test. The patients who showed symmetry in SHA test (slow harmonic acceleration test) were defined as compensated group (n = 82), and the patients who showed asymmetry in SHA test were defined as uncompensated group (n= 39). To investigate the relationship of the three vestibular function tests, the canal paresis was used as parameter for the caloric test, the SCEP-DP (Slow cumulative eye position-directional preponderance) and Tc-DP (time constant-directional preponderance) for the velocity step test, and the equilibriun score of vestibular function for the posturography. Results: There were close relationships between canal paresis and SCEP-DP (r=0.59 in uncompensated group, r=0.39 in compensated group), between canal paresis and Tc-DP (r=0.53 in uncompensated group, r=0.42 in compensated group) and between SCEP-DP and Tc-DP (r=0.83 in uncompensated group, r=0.49 in compensated group). Equilibrium score of vestibular function showed a minute correlation with SCEP-DP in compensated group (r=-0.2) and no correlation with the others. There was a close relationship between SHA test and posturography in deciding compensation or not (p<0.05 by ????2-test). Conclusion: We have found a close relationship of canal paresis, SCEP-DP and Tc-DP regardless of compensation. Equilibrium score of vestibular function showed a minute correlation with SCEP-DP in compensated group and no correlation with the others. We have also found a close relationship between SHA test and posturography in deciding compensation or not. J Clinical Otolaryngol 2000;11:53–59)

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