Nystagmus responses to water and air caloric stimulation in clinical populations.

The nystagmus responses of two groups of patients referred for electronystagraphy were compared to test for differences between air and water caloric stimulation. Responses from patients with spontaneous or positional nystagmus or who showed greater than 30% directional preponderance or excitability of labyrinth were removed from the data. The 30 degree C and 44 degree C water and the 24 degree C air produced equivalent responses. The 50 degree C air produced responses with slow component velocities greater than expected; however, the distributions of computed directional preponderance and excitability of labyrinth showed no differences between the air and water caloric stimulation.