Effect of Preset Angle on Subjective Visual Vertical/Horizontal: Comparison between Normal Subjects and Patients with Dizziness

Moon, Tae Hyun; Bae, Sung Hyen; Suh, Myung Whan; Rhee, Chung Ku; Jung, Jae Yun

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Subjective visual vertical (SVV) and subjective visual horizontal (SVH) are well known otolith function tests. Patients with acute unilateral vestibular weakness have a tendency to set the bar toward the side of the lesion in SVV and SVH tests. The object of this article is to identify the effect of preset angle on SVV and SVH tests in normal subjects and patients with dizziness.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From October 2008 to March 2009, thirty healthy volunteers, twenty eight vestibular neuritis (VN) patients (14-uncompensated, 14-compensated), Twenty five patients who had migrainous vertigo (MV) were enrolled. All subjects performed the test two times in each of the clockwise and counter-clockwise preset angle.
RESULTS
In normal subjects, there was significant influence by preset angle on SVV test, not on SVH test. In VN patients with nystagmus, both SVH and SVV were not influenced by preset angle. In VN patients without nystagmus and in MV patients, there were significant influence by preset angle on both SVV and SVH tests.
CONCLUSION
SVV and SVH values depend on the direction of the preset angle in MV and uncompensated VN patients. The preset angle should be considered in the interpretation of SVV and SVH values.