Use of the Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew ('HINTS') assessment to aid differential diagnosis in acute vestibular syndrome in the hyperacute stroke setting.

BACKGROUND: Differential diagnosis of acute vertigo syndrome is challenging given the similarities between clinical presentations of posterior circulation stroke and peripheral vestibular dysfunction. The Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew ('HINTS') assessment is a clinical bedside test used to aid diagnosis. METHODS: Comprehensive training on use of the Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew assessment was provided to one stroke consultant, and the effectiveness of the test in that setting was assessed. Further education was completed with more members of the stroke and emergency department multi-disciplinary team. Quality improvement measures including magnetic resonance imaging use and bed utilisation were explored. RESULTS: Following training of one stroke consultant, the Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew assessment was found to be a feasible, accurate bedside test within this acute stroke service. Further training for the multi-disciplinary team was completed, but outcome measures were not explored because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and maternity leave. CONCLUSION: There is a role for trained members of the multi-disciplinary team to successfully use the Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew assessment in hyperacute stroke settings, to aid diagnosis in acute vertigo syndrome.

Modernising vestibular assessment.

BACKGROUND: There is a high prevalence of dizziness, vertigo and balance symptoms in the general population. Symptoms can be generated by many inner-ear vestibular disorders and there are several diagnostic tests available that can help identify the site of the vestibular lesion. There is little consensus on what diagnostic tests are appropriate, with diagnostics either not completed or minimally performed, leading to missed diagnosis, unsatisfactory results for patients and costs to healthcare systems. METHODS: This study explored the literature for different neuro-vestibular diagnostic tests not currently considered in the traditional standard vestibular test battery, and examined how they fit effectively into a patient care pathway to help quickly and succinctly identify vestibular function. RESULTS: A vestibular patient care pathway is presented for acute and subacute presentation of vestibular disorders. CONCLUSION: An accurate diagnosis following a rigorous anamnesis and vestibular testing is paramount for successful management and favourable outcomes.

Assessment and management of vestibular migraine within ENT.

OBJECTIVE: Vestibular migraine is a newly recognised and debilitating condition. This article aims to provide an overview of what is known of vestibular migraine, delineating its diagnostic criteria and presenting some initial management strategies to aid ENT professionals in delivering optimal care when patients first present to the otolaryngology clinic. METHOD: Although traditionally underdiagnosed, there are now clearly defined diagnostic criteria to aid accurate diagnosis of vestibular migraine. RESULTS: A detailed history and clinical examination are the cornerstone of the diagnostic process, but supportive evidence is required from appropriate audio-vestibular tests and imaging. CONCLUSION: This is a unique condition that commonly initially presents to ENT. This article provides a summary of diagnostic and management strategies to facilitate early diagnosis and first-line treatment that can be employed in general ENT settings, which may be particularly useful given the limited availability of specialist audio-vestibular medicine and neuro-otology services.

Variability in the Results of Vestibular Assessment in Patients with Genetically Confirmed Cerebellar Ataxia, Neuropathy, and Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) presents an unpredictable and uneven clinical development of cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia. The aim of this study is to report the variability of vestibular test results in genetically confirmed patients with cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome. METHODS: Caloric testing, video head impulse test (vHIT), and rotatory chair testing were performed in 7 patients who presented pathogenic repeat expansions in the replication factor complex unit 1 gene related to cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome. RESULTS: Reduced vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain was observed in 100% of the patients in rotatory chair testing. Three of them had bilateral areflexia in caloric testing while 2 showed unilateral hypofunction and 2 had no alterations in the test. Only 1 patient had bilateral abnormal vHIT with gains under 0.6 in both ears. CONCLUSION: Genetic testing allows an early diagnosis of cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome, whereby the vestibular system may be affected to different degrees. Rotatory chair testing has a higher sensitivity for the detection of vestibular hypofunction in these patients. Caloric testing can provide additional information. vHIT might underdiagnose patients with mild-to-moderate vestibulopathy.

Paediatric vestibular assessment in French cochlear implant centres: Challenges and improvement areas.

OBJECTIVE: Survey of paediatric vestibular activity in all 30 French paediatric cochlear implant (CI) centres to identify challenges and areas of improvement. METHOD: All 30 French CI centres answered a 29-question questionnaire about their paediatric vestibular activity, equipment, and management in different clinical situations (e.g. vestibular assessment before a cochlear implantation or in cases of vertigo) at different ages. RESULTS: Eighteen CI centres had dedicated paediatric vestibular clinics and 12 did not. Minimum age required for vestibular testing was 3 years in eight centres. Four vestibular tests stood out: caloric tests, video Head Impulse Test (vHIT), rotating chair, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP). Depending on the centre's experience, the use of vestibular tests in clinical routine was very heterogeneous. Expert centres mostly used vHIT and cervical VEMP (in bone conduction) for assessments before the first cochlear implantation in 1-year-old children. Dizziness assessment in 4-year children was based on the use of vHIT, cervical VEMP on bone conduction, rotatory test, and caloric test. Ocular VEMP was rarely used. CONCLUSIONS: Paediatric vestibular assessment requires specific expertise compared to adults. Due to a lack of specialised human resources, some centres may be unable to follow French paediatric CI guidelines. International recommendations could help standardise paediatric vestibular management and public health policies should be discussed to improve training and access for children.

Pediatric Vestibular Assessment: Clinical Framework.

OBJECTIVES: Although vestibular deficits can have severe repercussions on the early motor development in children, vestibular assessment in young children has not yet been routinely integrated in clinical practice and clear diagnostic criteria to detect early vestibular deficits are lacking. In young children, specific adjustments of the test protocol are needed, and normative data are age-dependent as the vestibular pathways mature through childhood. Therefore, this study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of an extensive age-dependent vestibular test battery, to provide pediatric normative data with the concurrent age trends, and to offer a clinical framework for pediatric vestibular testing. DESIGN: This normative study included 133 healthy children below the age of 4 years (mean: 22 mo, standard deviation: 12.3 mo, range: 5-47 mo) without history of hearing loss or vestibular symptoms. Children were divided into four age categories: 38 children younger than 1 year old, 37 one-year olds, 33 two-year olds, and 25 three-year olds. Children younger than 3 years of age were examined with the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) of the horizontal semicircular canals, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) with bone conduction stimuli, and the rotatory test at 0.16, 0.04, and 0.01 Hz. In 3-year old children, the vHIT of the vertical semicircular canals and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) using a minishaker were added to the protocol. RESULTS: The horizontal vHIT appeared to be the most feasible test across age categories, except for children younger than 1-year old in which the success rate was the highest for the cVEMP. Success rates of the rotatory test varied the most across age categories. Age trends were found for the vHIT as the mean vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain increased significantly with age (r = 0.446, p < 0.001). Concerning the cVEMP, a significant increase with age was found for latency P1 (r = 0.420, p < 0.001), rectified interpeak amplitude P1-N1 (r = 0.574, p < 0.001), and averaged electromyographic (EMG) activity (r = 0.430, p < 0.001), whereas age trends for the latency N1 were less pronounced (r = 0.264, p = 0.004). Overall, the response parameters of the rotatory test did not show significant age effects ( p > 0.01), except for the phase at 0.01 Hz (r = 0.578, p < 0.001). Based on the reported success rates and age-dependent normative vestibular data, straightforward cutoff criteria were proposed (vHIT VOR gain < 0.7, cVEMP rectified interpeak amplitude < 1.3, oVEMP interpeak amplitude < 10 µV) with accompanying clinical recommendations to diagnose early vestibular impairment. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of typically developing children below the age of 4 years, the vHIT and cVEMP were the most feasible vestibular tests. Moreover, the age-dependent normative vestibular data could specify age trends in this group of young children. Finally, based on the current results and clinical experience of more than ten years at the Ghent University Hospital (Belgium), a clinical framework to diagnose early vestibular deficits in young patients is proposed.

Vestibular assessment in children aged zero to twelve years: an integrative review.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the main vestibular assessment tests performed in children aged zero to twelve years and the main causes of referral for vestibular assessment. METHODS: The review was guided by the following question: What are the main vestibular assessment tests performed in children aged zero to twelve years and the main causes of referral for vestibular assessment? The PVO strategy was used, being defined as: Population (P) - newborns and children; study Variable (V) - causes of referral for vestibular assessment; study Outcome (O): the main vestibular assessment tests and the main findings. This study was carried out using the main available databases in the months of July, August and September 2021, with no restrictions regarding language and publication date, namely: PubMed, Web of Science, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Latin-American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS), ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library and Embase. The descriptors were obtained from the MeSH database: newborn, infant, child, children, vestibular screening, vestibular infant screening, vestibular newborn screening, test, vestibular function, vestibular function test. RESULTS: A total of 7,078 studies were identified. After reading the titles and abstracts, 107 of them were selected, with 101 remaining after the exclusion of duplicates. After the full-text reading, 31 articles were included. It was observed that the most frequently used tests were: rotational tests, caloric stimulation and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential and the main causes of referral for vestibular evaluation were hearing loss and vestibular screening. CONCLUSION: The main tests for vestibular screening and/or assessment of children aged zero to twelve years are the rotary chair testing, caloric stimulation and cervical-vestibular evoked myogenic potential. Consequently, performing these procedures is extremely important, since the presence of vestibular dysfunction is quite common in the studied population.

Habilidades cognitivas envolvidas na avaliação e reabilitação vestibular: revisão integrativa / Cognitive skills involved in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation: an integrative review / Habilidades cognitivas involucradas en la evaluación y rehabilitación vestibular: revisión integrativa

Introdução: a literatura relata a associação entre o desequilíbrio e o comprometimento cogntivo, porém não é clara sobre quais habilidades cognitivas estão envolvidas com o sistema vestibular. Objetivo: avaliar quais habilidades cognitivas então envolvidas na avaliação e reabilitação vestibular em indivíduos jovens adultos e idosos. Estratégia de pesquisa: trata-se de uma revisão integrativa de literatura realizada entre julho e outubro de 2020, os artigos foram selecionados por meio das principais bases de dados da saúde MEDLINE via PubMed, LILACS via Portal Regional da BVS; Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, e CINAHL acesso via Portal CAPES, utilizando os descritores "Cognition" OR "Cognitive Dysfunction" AND "Vestibular Function Tests" AND "Vertigo" AND "Vestibular Rehabilitation" e seus correlatos em português e espanhol. Critérios de seleção: Foram incluídos artigos publicados até 2020 que investigaram a cognição com avaliação e reabilitação vestibular (tradicional e/ou com tecnologias) em indivíduos acima de 18 anos. Foram excluídos artigos que não possuíam texto completo disponível ou que utilizaram outra forma de tratamento. Resultados: dos 6965 artigos resultantes da busca inicial, 16 foram incluídos na presente revisão por satisfazerem os critérios de inclusão. Destes, 12 são estudos transversais, e quatro, estudos longitudinais. Conclusão: observou-se relação entre disfunção vestibular uni e bilateral com a memória de trabalho, funções executivas, navegação espacial e atenção. Nos estudos que realizaram a reabilitação vestibular encontrou-se melhora das habilidades cognitivas em geral, capacidade visuoespacial, atenção, funções executivas, memória de trabalho espacial, aumento do ganho do reflexo vestíbulo-ocular, do controle postural e uma diminuição do sofrimento psicológico.

Introduction: The literature reports an association between imbalance and cognitive impairment. However, it is not yet clear which cognitive skills are involved with the vestibular system. Objective: To evaluate which cognitive skills are involved in vestibular assessment and rehabilitation in young and older adults. Research strategy: This is an integrative review of the literature, conducted between July and October 2020. The articles were selected through search in the main health databases - MEDLINE via PubMed, LILACS via Regional Portal of VHL, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL, accessed via Portal CAPES, using the following descriptors "Cognition" OR "Cognitive Dysfunction" AND "Vestibular Function Tests" AND "Vertigo" AND "Vestibular Rehabilitation", and their equivalent terms in Portuguese and Spanish. Selection criteria: Articles published until 2020, investigating cognition with vestibular assessment or traditional and/or technology rehabilitation in subjects aged 18 years or older were included. Articles not available in full text or that used other types of treatment were excluded. Results: 16 out of the 6,965 articles initially retrieved met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review; 12 of them are cross-sectional, and four longitudinal studies. Conclusion: There was a relationship between uni- and bilateral vestibular dysfunction and working memory, executive functions, spatial navigation, and attention. The studies that conducted vestibular rehabilitation found improved overall cognitive skills, visuospatial capacity, attention, executive functions, spatial working memory, increased vestibulo-ocular reflex, postural control gains, and diminished psychological suffering.

Introducción: la literatura reporta la asociación entre desequilibrio y deterioro cognitivo, pero no está claro qué habilidades cognitivas están involucradas con el sistema vestibular. Objetivo: evaluar qué habilidades cognitivas están involucradas en la evaluación y rehabilitación vestibular en adultos jóvenes y ancianos. Estrategia de búsqueda: se trata de una revisión integradora de la literatura realizada entre julio y octubre de 2020, los artículos fueron seleccionados a través de las principales bases de datos en salud MEDLINE vía PubMed, LILACS vía Portal Regional BVS; Acceso a Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science y CINAHL a través del Portal CAPES, utilizando los descriptores "Cognición" O "Disfunción cognitiva" Y "Pruebas de función vestibular" Y "Vértigo" Y "Rehabilitación vestibular" y sus correlatos en portugués y español. Criterios de selección: Se incluyeron artículos publicados hasta 2020 que investigaban la cognición con valoración vestibular y rehabilitación (tradicional y / o con tecnologías) en mayores de 18 años. Se excluyeron los artículos que no tenían el texto completo disponible o que usaban otra forma de tratamiento. Resultados: de los 6965 artículos resultantes de la búsqueda inicial, 16 se incluyeron en esta revisión por cumplir con los criterios de inclusión. De estos, 12 son estudios transversales y cuatro estudios longitudinales. Conclusión: hubo relación entre la disfunción vestibular uni y bilateral con la memoria de trabajo, funciones ejecutivas, navegación espacial y atención. En estudios que realizaron rehabilitación vestibular se encontró una mejora en las habilidades cognitivas en general, capacidad visuoespacial, atención, funciones ejecutivas, memoria de trabajo espacial, aumento de ganancia en el reflejo vestibular-ocular, control postural y una disminución del malestar psicológico.

Estimated Vestibulogram (EVEST) for Effective Vestibular Assessment.

BACKGROUND: The availability and development of methods testing the vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) brought a broader view into the lateral semicircular canal (L-SCC) function. However, the higher number of evaluated parameters makes more difficult the specialist's diagnose-making process. PURPOSE: To provide medical specialists, a new diagnostic-graphic tool, Estimated Vestibulogram- EVEST, enabling a quick and easy-to-read visualization and comparison of the VOR test results within the L-SCC. METHODS: The development of EVEST involved 148 participants, including 49 healthy volunteers (28 female and 21 male) and 99 (58 female and 41 male) patients affected by different degrees of peripheral vestibular deficit. The corresponding L-SCC VOR test results, from patients meeting the diagnostic criteria, were used to create the EVEST. RESULTS: Based on the test results, we depicted and calculated the EVEST vestibular function asymmetry (VFA) in all the groups. To assess a feasibility of EVEST to describe a vestibular function deficit, we calculated sensitivity and specificity of VFA using a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and compared it to single tests. In all the tests, we determined the cutoff value as the point with the highest sensitivity and specificity. For discrimination of any vestibular deficit, the VFA with cutoff 6.5% was more sensitive (91%) and specific (98%) than single tests. Results showed that EVEST is a beneficial graphic tool for quick multifrequency comparison and diagnosis of different types of the peripheral vestibular loss. CONCLUSIONS: EVEST can help to easily evaluate various types of peripheral vestibular lesion.

Posturography with head movements in the assessment of balance in chronic unilateral vestibular lesions.

The aim of our study was to validate the method of head-shake static posturography (HS-posturography) in healthy individuals and to establish the value of this novel method in the diagnostics of patients with unilateral vestibular lesion (UV). The study included 202 participants divided into two groups, one consisting of 133 patients with canal paresis CP > 19% and one of 69 healthy subjects. Participant was tested according to the standard protocol of static posturography (SP), and with head movements of 0.3 Hz (HS 40), 0.6 Hz (HS 70) in random order controlled by a metronome. HS-posturography revealed a similar repeatability and internal consistency as the standard posturography. In patients with UV, 4th condition revealed higher sensitivity (74%) and specificity (71%) in HS 40 than in the standard posturography (67%, 65% respectively) and HS 70 (54%, 70% respectively). Static posturography and HS- posturography revealed a high reliability of the testing method. The head movements added to static posturography improve the sensitivity and specificity of the method in group with vestibular impairment. The most important test for that purpose seems to be the one on unstable surface with the eyes closed, with low frequency of head movements.

Vestibular function assessment following cochlear implantation using rotatory chair testing.

PURPOSE: Study aimed to assess short- and long-term impact of unilateral cochlear implantation in children on the angular vestibulo-ocular reflex using rotatory chair test. METHODS: Two groups; A (early postoperative evaluation) and B (later on evaluation) were included, each consisted of 23 cochlear implant candidates' children with unilateral implant surgeries were performed in El-Galaa Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. They were assessed by rotatory chair test; sinusoidal harmonic acceleration paradigm. Three parameters: average gain, asymmetry, and phase results of each group were compared with the manufacturer's norms and with each other. Further analysis by comparing each group implanted side specific gain results with the same group non-implanted side specific gain and with the other group implanted side specific gain results. RESULTS: Group A versus norms showed only significant differences in average gain and phase at 0.02 Hz and 0.01 Hz test frequencies respectively. However, three parameters in group B showed no significant differences when compared with norms. When comparing the results of both groups relieved significant differences only in average gain at 0.02 Hz and in phase at both 0.01 Hz and 0.04 Hz. Comparing specific gain results for both sides of group A showed significance at 0.32 Hz test frequency, while those of group B showed no significant differences. The analysis of implanted sides gain results of both groups showed differences at 0.16 Hz and 0.32 Hz. CONCLUSION: Bilateral restoration and improvement of angular vestibulo-ocular reflexes after unilateral cochlear implantation was reported with long-term assessment by rotatory chair test.

Qualitative and quantitative assessment of magnetic vestibular stimulation in humans.

The sensation of phantom motion or exhibition of bodily sway is often reported in the proximity of an MR scanner. It is proposed that the magnetic field stimulates the vestibular system. There are a number of possible mechanisms responsible, and the relative contributions of susceptibility on the otolithic receptors and the Lorentz force on the cupulae have not yet been explored. This exploratory study aims to investigate the impact of being in the proximity of a 7.0 T MR scanner.The modified clinical test of sensory interaction on balance (mCTSIB) was used to qualitatively ascertain whether or not healthy control subjects who passed the mCTSIB in normal conditions 1) experienced subjective sensations of dizziness, vertigo or of leaning or shifting in gravity when in the magnetic field and 2) exhibited visibly increased bodily sway whilst in the magnetic field compared to outside the magnetic field. Condition IV of the mCTSIB was video recorded outside and inside the magnetic field, providing a semi-quantitative measure of sway.For condition IV of the mCTSIB (visual and proprioceptive cues compromised), all seven locations/orientations around the scanner yielded significantly more sway than at baseline (p < 0.01 FDR). A Student's t-test comparing the RMS velocity of a motion marker on the upper arm during mCTSIB condition IV showed a significant increase in the amount of motion exhibited in the field (T = 2.59; d.f. = 9; p = 0.029) compared to outside the field.This initial study using qualitative measures of sway demonstrates that there is evidence for MR-naïve individuals exhibiting greater sway while performing the mCTSIB in the magnetic field compared to outside the field. Directional polarity of sway was not significant. Future studies of vestibular stimulation by magnetic fields would benefit from the development of a sensitive, objective measure of balance function, which can be performed inside a magnetic field.

The remote neuro-otology assessment - managing dizziness in the coronavirus disease 2019 era.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 and other factors have driven interest in conducting remote consultations, but there has been little research on this topic in neuro-otology. With suitable preparation, neuro-otology patients with dizziness can have remote assessments that include elements of neuro-otological physical examination, with tailored management and onward pathways arranged. METHODS: This paper reports experience with remote consultation in over 700 neuro-otology patient consultations and suggests a systematic approach, illustrated by a clinical case report and data on 100 consultations. CONCLUSION: Remote consultations can play a role in neuro-otology clinics. Further research is needed to establish patient acceptability, diagnostic accuracy, safety and efficiency of remote models of care for this patient group.

The assessment of the impact of a training process on the habituation of the vestibular-vegetative system, using a special rotational test as a condition of maintaining flight safety.

OBJECTIVES: The authors formulated a hypothesis that, on completion of the training program by cadets, their vestibular habituation would increase, measured by the time of the duration of the test on the unlocked looping, in contrast to the initial values and the control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research involved 35 male cadets, first-year students of the Polish Air Force Academy in Deblin. The examined persons were on average 20 years of age. They were divided into 2 groups. Group A (N = 25, tested) continued training on Special Aviation Gymnastic Instruments (SAGI). The cadets were a homogeneous group of participants in the jet pilot course, selected by the Military Aeromedical Board. Group B (N = 10, control) conducted the standard physical military education program. Groups A and B were tested on the unlocked looping before and after the training process. In the training process, the groups had heart rate (HR) monitored. RESULTS: The cadets in group A on the test in the unlocked looping, at the beginning of the training period, had an average score of 468.5±96.6 s, and on completion of the training period 575.6±47.9 s, which is a statistically significant difference at p < 0.000001. Similarly, the examined individuals in group B received an average score of 396.2±31.8 s, and at the end of the training period 473.4±72.0 s, which is a statistically significant difference at p < 0.01. In group A, a statistically significant decrease in the average HR value was observed. In group B, there was a statistically significant increase in the average HR value. CONCLUSIONS: The exercises on SAGI have a beneficial impact on improving the habituation of the vestibular organ in training cadets in examination II, as opposed to examination I and the control group. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(4):497-506.

The feasibility, validity and reliability of a child friendly vestibular assessment in infants and children candidates to cochlear implant.

OBJECTIVES: The pediatric vestibular assessment has developed significantly in the past two decades, especially in terms of assessment of cochlear implant (CI) candidates. Different methods and test protocols have been applied, however without a general consensus. We present here the feasibility, validity and reliability of a child friendly vestibular testing in use at our department for the assessment of pediatric CI candidates. METHODS: The test battery consisted of head impulse test (HIT), video head impulse test (vHIT), cervical evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) and mini ice water caloric test (mIWC), all adapted from previous methods, mentioned in literature. We defined specific criteria for test feasibility, for test validity and test positivity (i.e. indicating vestibular insufficiency). The reliability of the whole protocol was assessed with test agreement analysis. RESULTS: Complete data from 35 children, all CI candidates, age ranging 4-79 months (67% under 2 years) and recruited over two years, were obtained. All but one child could complete at least one test with valid responses bilaterally, with the best compliance for HIT (97,1%) and least for cVEMP (68,6%). Feasibility did not appear to be affected by age or hearing loss etiology. Among the valid responses there was a substantial test agreement between HIT and vHIT, moderate agreement between vHIT/HIT and mIWC and no apparent agreement between the canal tests and cVEMP. Simple clinical guidelines were introduced to solve the tests' disagreement and to improve the protocol reliability: a) a pathological response had to be confirmed in at least two different canal tests and in at least three cVEMP trials; b) a canal/otolith disagreement was interpreted as a partial vestibular loss to be opposed to a complete vestibular insufficiency. CONCLUSIONS: The search for vestibular insufficiency in infants and young children can be attained with an opportunely adapted vestibular assessment, such the test battery proposed here. That assessment resulted easy to conduct and to interpret in a representative sample of CI candidates in preschool age, the most of whom were younger than 2 years. This method appears to particularly suit the demands of a vestibular assessment in young children CI candidates.

Assessment of Vestibular Function in Adults with Prelingual Hearing Loss Using c/oVEMP Tests.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to compare the vestibular system integrity of individuals with normal hearing with that of prelingual hearing impaired individuals. It is well known that ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) reflect utricular function, whereas cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) reflect saccular function. Therefore, oVEMP and cVEMP tests were applied to evaluate the vestibular system integrity of hearing impaired individuals participating in the research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of sensorineural prelingual hearing-loss volunteers aged from 18 to 60 years, whereas the control group consisted of age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers. cVEMP and oVEMP tests were performed to evaluate the integrity of the vestibular system, and the results were compared with those of the control group. RESULTS: The study included 20 (76.9%) women and 6 (23.1%) men in the study group; on the other hand, the control group consisted of 19 (73.1%) women and 7 (26.9%) men. There was a difference between the study group and the control group when oVEMP and cVEMP responses were compared, and the response percentage was higher in the control group. The response rates of oVEMP and cVEMP in patients with prelingual hearing loss were 44.2% and 59.6%, respectively. There was also a statistically significant difference between the groups for oVEMP amplitude and cVEMP P1 latency (p≤0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that prelingual hearing loss is related to both utricular and saccular dysfunctions. However, oVEMPs were more often abnormal in prelingual deaf patients than cVEMPs, suggesting that utricular dysfunction may be more common than saccular dysfunction.

Video-based time assessment in 360 degrees turn Berg balance test.

The Great Geriatric Problems include dementia syndromes, locomotion disorders, and falls. In geriatrics, one of the most commonly used methods for assessing the balance of seniors is the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). It is a set of 14 exercises that reflect daily activates. In this paper focused on the 11th Berg Balance Test, a novel method is introduced, based on the time of rotation calculated using the CamShift algorithm. The method is tested on 57 recordings of seniors. The average relative error of presented method is 4.74%, which refers to the average absolute error at the level of 0.83 s.