Video Head Impulse and Suppression Head Impulse Tests in Chronic Otitis Media Patients

Abstract Background: Chronic Otitis Media (COM) is a common ear infection that can lead to significant hearing loss and balance disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the results of the Video Head Impulse Test (VHIT) and the Suppression Head Impulse Test (SHIMP) in COM patients and to investigate the correlation between these test results and balance disorders. Methods: The study included a comparison of air conduction values at 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4000 Hz, 6000 Hz, and 8000 Hz in both the right and left ears of COM patients and a control group. Statistical significance was assessed for differences in VHIT and SHIMP test results, focusing on lateral canal gains and saccades. Results: As expected, the air conduction values at 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz, 4000 Hz, 6000 Hz, and 8000 Hz in both the right and left ears of the patient group were statistically significantly higher than those in the control group (p=0.001 for all frequencies) (Verhoeff et al., 2006). No significant gain loss was observed in the lateral canal for either the COM patients or the control group. Additionally, there was no statistically significant difference in the VHIT gain values between the groups (p>0.05). The mean left lateral gain measurement was 0.86±0.06, and the mean right lateral gain measurement was 0.89±0.06 (Sandhu et al., 2018). In the SHIMP test, the left and right lateral gain measurements in the patient group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p=0.001 for the left, p=0.007 for the right) (Monsanto et al., 2020). No overt or covert saccades were observed in the VHIT test, while the SHIMP test showed that the amplitude of overt saccades in the left and right lateral directions of the control group was significantly higher than those in the patient group (p=0.001 for the left, p=0.004 for the right) (Mostafa et al., 2013). Conclusions: study's findings indicate no significant difference in the average lateral canal gains between the COM patients and the control group. Although no statistically significant difference was found in the lateral canal mean gains when comparing the patients to the control group, it is suggested that these canals may still be affected in chronic otitis media patients (Ho et al., 2012).