Experiencia con Video Head Impulse Testing (vHIT)

Introduction and objective: The diagnosis and study of vestibular pathology has been always guided by the medical history, exploration and caloric test. The caloric test has some limitations because it only allows the study of horizontal semicircular canal and it is also poorly tolerated by patients. Alternatively, the vHIT (Video Head Impulse Test), allows the analysis of all semicircular channels being quicker to perform and less obtrusive. The objective of the following study is to reflect our initial experience with the vHIT and compare it with another diagnosis tests. Method: This is a observational, prospective and descriptive study, of one year of observation in our Healthcare center for all patients who described symptoms of dizziness, unsteadiness or vertigo. Results: A total of 155 patients were included. There was a clear predominance of females, being Meniere's disease the most frequently diagnosed entity. The diagnosis was reached by vHIT. Caloric test was also performed in patients without definite or doubt in the diagnosis. With the data, the statistical relationships were established, being significant between sex with vestibular neuritis and vestibular migraine. There was a statistically significant relationship between vestibule-ocular reflex and caloric test associated with the previous pathologies. Discussion: The head impulse assisted video is a quick, simple and well tolerated technique without adverse symptoms like the caloric test. The disparities of results are due to differences in the stimulated frequencies, being the vHIT more physiological. Conclusions: vHIT facilitates the complementary diagnosis of acute pathology, being a well-tolerated technique. However, in pathologies with central compensation the results by vHIT may be normal, requiring the caloric test for better diagnostic approach. Introducción y objetivo: El diagnóstico de la patología vestibular se basa, en la historia, la exploración y la prueba calórica. Esta última solo permite el estudio del canal semicircular horizontal y es mal tolerada. Como alternativa surge el vHIT (Video Head Impulse Test), que analiza todos los canales semicirculares y es menos molesta. El fundamento del siguiente estudio es reflejar nuestra experiencia y comparar con los métodos previos. Método: Realizamos un estudio observacional, prospectivo y descriptivo de un año de duración de todos los pacientes de nuestra Área de Salud que consultaron por clínica de mareo, inestabilidad o vértigo.