PURPOSE: to check the behavior of spontaneous and per caloric nystagmus, its occurrence, direction and its quantitative and qualitative influence in the caloric and rotatory testing in symptomatic subjects. METHODS: from January to April 2006, 88 patients were evaluated at Mãe de Deus Center, Porto Alegre city, through Vectonystagmography digital. RESULTS: 33 (37.5%) subjects showed spontaneous and per caloric nystagmus with eyes closed, 19 female (57.6%), 14 male (42.4%), ages between 15 and 81 years old. 31 occurrences of spontaneous nystagmus and 33 of per caloric nystagmus were recorded. The main direction of the nystamus was oblique, followed by horizontal, as expected. The statistic analysis through SPSS 13.0 program showed there were significant differences between the spontaneous and per caloric nystagmus comparing the angular velocity of slow component mean value, being the per caloric higher than the spontaneous. No correlation was found between the slow component mean value of spontaneous and per caloric nystagmus when compared to percentage results of caloric testing, otherwise, qualitative influence was observed because the great occurrence of directional preponderance. Rotational chair testing asymmetry was verified in only 11 (33.3%) patients. CONCLUSION: the statistic analysis of mean values showed no significant correlations among the angular velocity of slow component of the nystagmus spontaneous and per caloric compared with the of caloric testing percentages.
Electronystagmography; Nystagmus, Pathologic; Vestibular Function Tests
