Posturography does not test vestibulospinal function

Abstract

The clinical usefulness of posturography is unknown, despite its costing more than $500 per test in some areas of the United States, including Boston. We cross-sectionally and prospectively studied blinded vestibulo-ocular and vestibulospinal tests from 29 stable patients with chronic vestibular hypofunction; 22 patients were affected bilaterally (BVH), and 7 were affected unilaterally (UVH). Vestibulo-ocular function was assessed by electronystagmographic caloric stimulation and sinusoidal vertical axis rotation gains at 0.05 Hz. Vestibulospinal function was assessed by moving-platform and visual-surround posturography sensory organization tests (SOTs), paced and free gait in a gait laboratory, and clinical tests of timed gait and standing. Posturography SOT moving-platform tests 4 through 6, designed to assess vestibular function, correlated significantly ( r ≤ 0.72, P ≥ 0.01) with vestibulo-ocular tests in 5 of 6 comparisons among BVH patients. Posturography SOT results, however, correlated poorly with other vestibulospinal measures: correlations were statistically significant for only 7 of 18 comparisons with clinical balance and gait function ( r ≤ 0.69, P ≥ 0.01) and with 2 of 12 comparisons for gait laboratory dynamic stability measures ( r ≤ 0.55, P ≥ 0.01) among the BVH patients. When both the platform and visual surround moved (SOT 6), however, correlations were statistically significant with static standing clinical measures ( r = 0.51 to 0.69, P < 0.01) and with whole-body maximum moment arm during paced gait ( r = 0.55, P < 0.01). Posturography scores for the UVH patients did not significantly correlate with any vestibulo-ocular or other vestibulospinal measures. These data indicate that among patients with BVH posturography SOT scores relate at best modestly with accepted measures of vestibulo-ocular function, less well with clinical measures of balance control, and poorly with dynamic gait-performance measures. We conclude that posturography SOT does not assess vestibulospinal function. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1999;120:164-73.)