R Thakor | PubMed Health

PubMed1993

Controlling the caloric labyrinthine stimulus: restoring surface temperature.

The duration of the conventional caloric stimulus is too long and the termination of the stimulus is uncontrolled. This study explores the use of a brief terminal "washout" irrigation pulse at 37 degrees C which is intended to 1. shorten the duration of action of the caloric stimulus and 2. eliminate uncertainty over the magnitude and duration of the terminal portion of the thermal labyrinthine stimulus. Twelve normal subjects were tested with 1. conventional 30-second irrigations, 2. 30-second irrigations plus a "washout" pulse, and 3. temperature-switching caloric (TSC) irrigations plus a "washout" pulse. Clinical test scores were comparable with all three irrigation methods. The "washout" pulse produced only a slight shortening of the conventional 30-second irrigation responses.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

A study of potential vestibulotoxic effects of once daily versus thrice daily administration of tobramycin.

Tobramycin 5.1 mg/kg/day was administered for 9 days to 20 healthy human volunteers to determine the potential vestibulotoxicity of once daily versus thrice daily treatment regimens. Vestibular function was tested carefully before, during, and following drug administration, using a battery of postural and caloric tests. Although subjects receiving the once daily regimen performed better on the postural tests, we feel this does not necessarily indicate an adverse effect in either group. The caloric test was the primary measure of vestibular function in this experiment, and this test appeared to demonstrate a slight adverse effect during drug administration of equal magnitude in both treatment groups. The results of this experiment indicate that there is no significant difference in the risk of adverse vestibular effects between once daily and thrice daily tobramycin administration.

Adult↗