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| Research article summary (published 10 May 2009): |
A bucket of static vestibular function.
Full Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Validation of a bedside test to measure the monocular and binocular subjective visual vertical (SVV). METHODS: Monocular and binocular measurements of the SVV were made in 30 healthy subjects (mean age 46.1 +/- 16.4 years) and 30 patients with acute peripheral or central vestibular lesions (mean age 51.3 +/- 17.1 years). The established method uses a hemispheric dome (adjustment of a bar to the vertical without spatial orientation clues in a motor-driven, hemispheric dome randomly covered with colored dots). It was compared to a simple, self-made bucket method, in which the subject estimates true verticality by attempting to properly align a straight line visible on the bottom of a bucket that is rotated at random by the examiner. RESULTS: Comparative measurements of the whole group (n = 60) showed no difference in the distribution of monocular or binocular SVV values while using the hemispheric dome or the bucket method. Intertest reliability was 89% for monocular and 90% for binocular SVV measurements. Intratest reliability of the bucket method in 10 repetitions was 92% for binocular and monocular SVV determinations. With the bucket method, the range of absolute deviations of SVV values from true verticality in healthy subjects was 1.1 +/- 0.7 degrees for monocular and 0.9 +/- 0.7 degrees for binocular measurements (mean +/- SD). There was no significant effect of age or gender. CONCLUSIONS: The bucket method is an easily performed and reliable bedside test for determining monocular and binocular subjective visual vertical. The bucket can be modified within 1 hour and costs less than $5.
Author information
Author/s: Zwergal, A (A); Rettinger, N (N); Frenzel, C (C); Dieterich, M (M); Brandt, T (T); Strupp, M (M);
Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Klinikum Grosshadern, Klinikum Grosshadern, Germany. andreas.zwergal(-atsign-)med.uni-muenchen.de
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Validation Studies
Journal: Neurology (Neurology), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2009-May; vol 72 (issue 19) : pp 1689-92
Dates: Created 2009/05/12; Completed 2009/06/30;
PMID: 19433743, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 6/30/2009, IMS Date: )
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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