Application of video head impulse test in detecting damage and recovery features of semicircular canal of patients with acute vestibular neuritis / 第二军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the application of video head impulse test in detecting the impairment of semicircular canal of patients with acute vestibular neuritis and the recovery features of the damaged semicircular canal. Methods The clinical data of 28 patients with acute vestibular neuritis, who were diagnosed in the Department of Neurology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University from Mar. 2015 to Mar. 2016, were analyzed and regularly followed up. The damage and recovery of each semicircular canal function were evaluated by video head impulse test. Results During the onset period, the horizontal semicircular canal function was abnormal in 28 patients (100.00%), the anterior semicircular canal function was abnormal in 24 cases (85.71%), and the posterior semicircular canal function was abnormal in 4 cases (14.29%). After 2 months of follow-up, the gain of the patients with severe damage of horizontal semicircular canal (gain0.5) at onset did not return to normal, while that of 80.00% (12/15) of the patients with less damage of horizontal semicircular canal (gain ranged from 0.5 to 0.8) recovered; 82.35% (14/17) of the patients with severe damage of anterior semicircular canal (gain0.5) at onset did not recover, while that of the patients with less damage of anterior semicircular canal (gain ranged from 0.5 to 0.7) returned to normal. Conclusion In patients with vestibular neuritis, the damage of semicircular canal dominated by superior vestibular nerve is more severe than that dominated by inferior vestibular nerve. Video head impulse test is suitable for the detection and follow-up of the function of impaired semicircular canal. The recovery of impaired semicircular canal is related to its severity at onset.