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The association between video-nystagmography and sensory organization test of computerized dynamic posturography in patients with vestibular symptoms

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Abstract

Objective

Vertigo is a complex symptom which imposes diagnostic and treatment challenges. Laboratory evaluation of vertigo includes video-nystagmography (VNG) and computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) for the evaluation of different aspects of this complaint. There are vague indications for each test and potential disagreements between them. The aim of this study is to examine the association between the test results of the VNG and sensory organization test (SOT) of CDP in patients referred for both vestibular tests.

Methods

Retrospective data regarding 56 patients age 17–82 years were collected. Patients suffered vestibular complaints and were referred for VNG and CDP evaluation on the same day. The level of agreement between VNG (including caloric test) and the vestibular input of the SOT for each patient was calculated.

Results

Among the study group, 10 showed abnormal caloric test results, of which 3 (5.4%) had normal vestibular input in the SOT, and 7 (12.5%) had impaired input (p = 0.724). Spontaneous nystagmus was recorded in 13 patients by VNG, of which 2(3.6%) had normal vestibular input and 11(19.6%) had impaired vestibular input (p = 0.056).

Conclusions

This study shows no statistically significant association between the VNG test and SOT test results. Our results emphasize the difference between the tested aspects in each laboratory test, and the need to define specific indications for each of them. There is a marginally significant association between impaired vestibular input and spontaneous nystagmus, demonstrating the non-localizing nature of this sign.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Sara Malachi and Vladimir Rodionov from the ENG/VNG laboratory of the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Hadassah Hebrew-University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel, for their great contribution throughout this study.

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No funding was used in this research.

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Correspondence to Shany G. Gofrit or Menachem Gross.

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This study was not sponsored by any organization. The authors have no conflict of interests.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The data were gathered retrospectively, and without mentioning any details regarding the subjects.

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Gofrit, S.G., Ilan, O., Mayler, Y. et al. The association between video-nystagmography and sensory organization test of computerized dynamic posturography in patients with vestibular symptoms. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 276, 3513–3517 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05626-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05626-y

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