Quantitative evaluation of vestibular function, balance function and optokinetic function in elderly person
- VernacularTitle:高龄老人前庭功能、平衡功能、视动功能的定量评价
- Author:
Chengjun ZHAO
;
Suzhen ZHANG
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research
2005;9(23):231-233
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Old people above 80 years old have a high incidence of dizziness and tumble, which are associated with weakening vestibular function, balance function and optokinetic function.OBJECTIVE:This study was designed to make a quantitative evaluation of vestibular function,balance function and optokinetic function in people over 80 years old.DESIGN:It was a quantitative study on posture function(vestibular and balance function),auditory function(frequency audiometry)and visual function (optokinetic function) in elderly persons.SETTING:Department of Otolaryngology ,General Hospital of Chinese PLA.PARTICIPANTS:Totally 41 old male inpatients with systemic diseases in Rehabilitation Department of the General Hospital of Chinese PLA, with an age from 80 to 94 were selected from March 1993 to January 1994.Of them,12 had tinnitus,20 had dizziness.During the same period,old cadres including 11 males and 7 females aged from 60 to 79 years with normal findings of physical examinations were selected as controls. No participant in this group suffered from tinnitus, deafness and dizziness. All the participants were voluntary.METHODS: Patients underwent full-scale otolaryngological examinations.Audiometry consisted of battery of tests including frequency audiometry and evoked auditory brainstem responses(ABR). Vestibular function (posture) was assessed by vestibular-ocular reflexes. Participants accelerated from 1 /s to 90 /s. Then, the angular speed was kept until the nystagmus disappeared,at the time a sudden stop was made.Changes in nystagmus during the tests were recorded.The eyes firstly turned to left and 10 minutes later turned to right.Slow-phase angular velocity was recorded and the imbalanced left/right rate was calculated.Vestibularspinal reflex (VSR) was measured using balance beam and the length of the sway of the center of gravity (CG) and the sway velocity of CG were all calculated. Balance tests using a cursor were employed to examine the central optokinetic system, including sweeping, tracking, and optokinetic responses.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frequency audiometry, vestibular-ocular reflexes, and vestibular-spinal reflex and optokinetic responses were examined to assess the posture function, auditory function and visual function in elderly persons over 80 years old.And the results were compared with those of balance function tests and visual function tests in old population aged from 60 to 79 years old.RESULTS:Practically,the number of old participants over 80 years old receiving the tests of frequency audiometry, vestibular-ocular reflexes, and vestibular-spinal reflex and optokinetic responses were 41,24,39,40 and 34 respectively;The number of 60-79 participants receiving balance tests and visual tests were 18 and 10.Individuals refusing to participate were omitted. ① Auditory function:In 41 elderly persons ＞80 years,13 ears (16％) had a normal middle frequency audiometry, 69 ears (84％) had a loss of hearing. ② Posture function: 15 (62％) had normal vestibular-ocular reflexes, and 9 (38％) had abnormalities in vestibular-ocular reflexes.Ten (26％) had a normal vestibular-spinal reflex and 29 (74％) had an abnormal vestibular-spinal reflex.③ Balance function:Of all the variables of balance function,the length of the sway of CG and the sway velocity of CG were most valuable. In populations in both brackets, the length of the sway of CG and the sway velocity of CG in eyes-closed condition were longer and faster than those in eyes-opened .condition (P ＜ 0.01). In over 80 years group,the length of the sway of CG and the sway velocity of CG were longer and faster than in 60-79 group (P ＜ 0.01). ④ Optokinetic responses:Optokinetic plus were not obviously different between over-80 group and 60-79 group (P ＞ 0.05) and the latent period of sweeping and the distortion of tracking were significantly longer and greater in former group than in later(P ＜ 0.05-0.01 ).CONCLUSION:Most of the elderly persons over 80 years have a decrease in auditory and posture functions.Their optokinetic and balance functions are degenerated more severely than 60-79 years old population.
