Normative data for rotational chair stratified by age.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study is to examine the range of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain on rotary chair (RC) testing in subjects without ear and vestibular problems stratified by age and gender.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

METHODS

One hundred subjects ranging in age from 6 to 78 years underwent RC testing. VOR gains at frequencies ranging from 0.01 to 0.64 Hz were recorded. The PROC MIXED procedure in SAS was used to analyze differences in VOR gain between gender and the following age groups: group 1 (6-12 years), group 2 (13-17 years), group 3 (18-30 years), group 4 (31-50 years), and group 5 (>50 years).

RESULTS

Twenty subjects were recruited for each of the five groups. Group 1 showed the highest average VOR gain compared to all other age groups (P < .05). There was an inverse correlation between VOR gain and age (P < .05). The lowest frequency (0.01 Hz) had the highest correlation between VOR gain and age (r = -0.425; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrates VOR gain differences with age, especially in the preadolescent and geriatric groups. The current manufacturer-provided normative data do not serve as an accurate reference, especially for these two age groups. A larger population of all age groups should be compared to the current RC manufacturer normative values to ensure that they accurately reflect the true normative data.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE