Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2025
Testing of all Six Semicircular Canals with Video Head Impulse Test Systems
Published on: April 18, 2019
Nationwide Prevalence of Video Head Impulse Test Abnormality and its Risk Factors in South Korea
Myung-Whan Suh1, Dae Bo Shim2, Min-Beom Kim3
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Objective:
To identify the prevalence of and relevant information for video head impulse test (vHIT) abnormality in a large population.
Study Design:
A cross-sectional design.
Setting:
Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2021.
Methods:
The sample was representative of the Korean population, with 2237 participants aged ≥40 years. A vHIT was performed to evaluate vestibular function. The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain and the presence of reproducible catch-up saccades was assessed in a vHIT. Participants also completed questionnaires for demographics, socioeconomic status, and basic information regarding systemic diseases and dizziness and underwent hearing tests with automated pure-tone audiometry.
Results:
The prevalence of vHIT abnormality was 22.5%, with unilateral (14.3%) being more common than bilateral (8.2%). The prevalence of vHIT abnormality increased significantly with age, with the highest rate observed in individuals aged >70 years (42.5%). Both hearing and VOR gain deteriorated with age, but the patterns of age-related progression were different. While hearing loss (HL) deteriorated gradually and progressively throughout adulthood, VOR gain deterioration was markedly evident after 70 years of age.
Conclusion:
Considering the high prevalence of vHIT abnormality, appropriate social and medical policies are needed to prevent associated injuries and improve patients' quality of life. The distinct age-related changes in HL and objective findings of vestibular dysfunction indicate the need for different approaches to address these social problems in aging countries.
