Affiliations: [a] University of Ghent, Faculty of Medicine, ENT-department, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium | [b] University Hospital of Ghent, Faculty of Medicine, ENT-department, De Pintelaan 185, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Leen Maes, University of Ghent/Faculty of Medicine; ENT – department, De Pintelaan 185, B – 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Tel.: +32 09 332 40 66; Fax: +32 09 332 54 36; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Rotational testing has been used in clinical practice to explore vestibular function. Frequently used stimulus algorithms include: sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHAT), pseudorandom rotation test (PRRT), and velocity step test (VST). The aim of this study was to construct normative data as well as to evaluate the test-retest reliability of those rotational paradigms. One hundred and fifty subjects without vestibular history participated in the normative study. The SHAT was presented at 5 frequencies (0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 Hz), whereas for the PRRT those frequencies were summed. The VST consisted of a rotation to the right and left and was administered twice. Thirty-two volunteers were retested to assess the test-retest reliability. Separate normative data were needed according to sex, stimulus type, and frequency for the SHAT and PRRT, and according to stimulus and direction for the VST. High reliability by means of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the method error (ME) was obtained for the SHAT, PRRT, and VST gain, SHAT phase and asymmetry, and VST time constant parameters. The availability of data on the minimal detectable test-retest differences supports the evaluation of rotational responses on a retest session.
Keywords: Rotational paradigms, sinusoidal harmonic acceleration test (SHAT), pseudorandom rotation test (PRRT), velocity step test (VST), normative, reliability, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), method error (ME), minimal detectable difference (MDD)
