Chronic suppurative otitis media, caloric testing, and rotational chair testing.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of caloric and rotational chair testing (ROT) abnormalities in a group of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and to correlate caloric test results with ROT.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients with CSOM with or without cholesteatoma who were to undergo tympanomastoid surgery.


METHODS
Caloric and ROT.


METHODS
History of dizziness. Vestibular test abnormalities defined by caloric weakness (CW), reduced gain, abnormal phase, or asymmetry on ROT.


RESULTS
Among the 25 patients, 13 had bilateral CSOM-most with long-standing disease and history of previous surgical intervention. Of the 25 patients, 19 (76%) demonstrated either unilateral or bilateral CW. Eighteen (72%) demonstrated abnormalities on ROT. Eleven patients (44%) had complaints of vertigo/dizziness, although 2 of these patients had both normal caloric testing and ROT. Unilateral or bilateral CW was 80% accurate in predicting an ROT abnormality, whereas the symptom of vertigo/dizziness was only 48% accurate in predicting an ROT abnormality.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of CW among CSOM patients in this study was high and correlated well with abnormalities on ROT. Interestingly, ROT results correlated better with CW than symptoms of dizziness/vertigo. Although CW findings can be the result of technical limitations in testing patients with CSOM, ROT corroboration of these results suggest that they are valid findings.
Gianoli
Gerard J
GJ
The Ear and Balance Institute, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816, USA. ggianoli@gmail.com
Soileau
James S
JS
D002150:Caloric Tests; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004244:Dizziness / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012399:Rotation; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests