[Suppression head impulse paradigm in healthy adult population: the values and features of the parameters]

Objective: To observe the parameters of the results of suppression head impulse paradigm (SHIMP) in healthy adults, and to provide reference for evaluating vestibular oculomotor reflex function in patients with peripheral vertigo. Methods: Fifty healthy adults, 22 males and 28 females, aged from 23-65 years, with an average age of (38.5±11.6) years, were recruited from January to March 2018. Parameters provided by the video head pulse software included the gains, the latency and the peak velocity of saccades, and comparison was made with head impulse paradigm (HIMP). Results: All subjects were elicited anti-compensatory saccades in SHIMP. The normal values of left and right gains were 1.02 and 1.10 in HIMP, and 0.93 and 1.01 in SHIMP respectively. The left and right saccades latency were (201.1± 50.8)ms and (187.0± 42.9)ms, and the peak saccadic velocity were (302.7±58.5)°/s and (291.5±46.5)°/s in SHIMP; there were small but significant difference between two sides about gains in HIMP and SHIMP, as well as latency in SHIMP(P<0.05); there were small but significant difference between HIMP and SHIMP about gains in ipsilateral(P<0.01); there were no significant difference between two sides about peak saccadic velocity in SHIMP(P>0.05). Conclusions: SHIMP can be used for the examination of vestibular oculomotor reflex function in adult population. It is easy to be operated and is convenient for clinical application. Combined with head pulse test, the function of the semicircular canal can be evaluated together.