Comparing Video Head Impulse Testing With Rotary Chair in Pediatric Patients: A Controlled Trial

Objectives To investigate the efficacy of video head impulse testing (VHIT) in detecting vestibular loss in pediatric patients with abnormal rotary chair testing, compared to a control group with normal rotary chair testing. Study Design Prospective, nonrandomized, controlled trial. Setting Pediatric vestibular program at tertiary level children's hospital. Methods Patients 3 to 18 years of age were recruited to undergo VHIT and rotary chair testing between September 2015 and November 2022. VHIT results were compared between an experimental group of 23 patients with vestibular symptoms and abnormal rotary chair testing results versus a control group of 14 patients without vestibular symptoms and with normal rotary chair testing results. Results The experimental group demonstrated reduced mean VHIT gain for the lateral semicircular canals (right = 0.83; left = 0.75) relative to the control group (right = 1.04, P = .005; left = 0.98, P