gms | German Medical Science

The vertical X-Sign-Test (VXT) of Fukuda/Stoll evaluates the vestibulospinal deviation for the upper extremity. Gain of this prospective study was to do an analysis of correlation of the deviation (Dev.) in VXT and nystagmus parameters used at the caloric vestibular stimulation. For 24 healthy persons the VXT was done with 30° reclined head sitting on a chair with and without caloric vestibular stimulation (50 ml water 30°). For analysis was taken: direction of deviation and extension in degree and by means of videonystagmography caloric induced nystagmus (frequency, total amplitude und slow phase velocity). Without caloric testing there was mostly a Deviation to the right side (74,5%). With cold water irrigation left there was at 80,4% a deviation to the left side, with cold water irrigation right there was in 90,2% a deviation to the right side. Mean Deviation without testing was 3,6°4,1°, with irrigation right 8,9°9,0°, with irrigation left –8,6°9,6°. There was a significant Spearman-correlation after irrigation of the left side between deviation and parameters amplitude (rs =-0,61; p=0,01) and slow phase velocity (rs=-0,55; p=0,05). After irrigation of the right side there was a significant Spearman-correlation between Deviation and nystagmus frequency (rs=-0,61; p=0,01). Summed up caloric vestibular stimulation leads to a significant deviation in VXT in direction to the slow phase of nystagmus. There are big differences between irrigation with cold water of the left and right side in the correlation analysis according to the correlation between deviation and nystagmus parameters. To find out the reason for these unsteady correlations further investigation is needed.