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Variability of air calorics vs water. Statistical implications.
Archives of Otolaryngology (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)
|March 1, 1979
Summary
Increased variability in air-induced caloric nystagmus does not significantly impact unilateral weakness (UW) measures. Our findings suggest that current methods for assessing UW using air irrigation are reliable despite potential response variability.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
- Vestibular System
Background:
- Air irrigation is increasingly used for caloric nystagmus testing.
- Concerns exist regarding increased response variability with air irrigation.
- The impact of this variability on unilateral weakness (UW) assessment requires clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of increased single-measure variability on the resultant measures of unilateral weakness (UW).
- To develop a theoretical model for UW variance.
- To validate findings with empirical data from normal and clinical subjects.
Main Methods:
- Development of a theoretical equation for the variance of unilateral weakness.
- Analysis of results from 22 normal and 12 clinical subjects undergoing air-induced caloric nystagmus testing.
- Reexamination of previously published reports on caloric testing variability.
Main Results:
- The theoretical equation demonstrated that UW variability is influenced by mean responses, inter-ear correlation, and single-measure variability.
- Increases in single-measure variability were found to be attenuated by the derived formula.
- Clinically significant increases in UW measure variability were deemed unlikely.
Conclusions:
- Despite potential increases in response variability with air irrigation, the impact on the clinical assessment of unilateral weakness is minimal.
- The theoretical model and empirical data support the reliability of UW measures obtained via air-induced caloric nystagmus.
- Air irrigation remains a viable method for assessing vestibular function and unilateral weakness.