NCT06022367

Activation Technique in cVEMPs

An Investigation Into the Effect of the Head Raise and Head Turn Activation Techniques on Quality of Elicited Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (cVEMPs)

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 24 (actual)
• Sponsor: Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · Other Government
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will investigate two different techniques used for eliciting sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle contraction. Sustained contraction of the SCM muscle is necessary for accurate recording of cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs). These responses are used clinically to assess the function of structures within the vestibular system. The British Society of Audiology (BSA) guidelines recommend the head turn and head raise techniques as effective methods for eliciting SCM contraction. However, they do not recommend which technique to employ, leaving that to the discretion of the clinician. The purpose of this study is to determine which activation technique to recommend in the local standard operating procedure on cVEMP testing developed by the Audiology and Vestibular Function Testing service based at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Healthy volunteers will be recruited to the study. The study will be conducted at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK. The participants will each be invited to attend one appointment in which they will undergo cVEMP testing, performed using each activation technique in turn. After testing the participants will be asked to complete a questionnaire in which they will comment on their experience of performing each technique and assign each a tolerability rating.

Conditions

• Activation Technique in cVEMP Testing

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Head Turn Activation Technique	Participant sat upright with head turned to the side through 45 degrees. They are presented with an auditory stimulus delivered using insert earphones and their cVEMP response is recorded using skin electrodes.
DIAGNOSTIC_TEST	Head Raise Activation Technique	Participant assumes caloric test position (30 degrees from horizontal) with head raised. Participant is presented with an auditory stimulus delivered using insert earphones and their cVEMP response is recorded using skin electrodes.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-12-15
• Primary completion: 2023-02-24
• Completion: 2023-02-24
• First posted: 2023-09-01
• Last updated: 2023-09-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United Kingdom