Gp. Jacobson et al., REAPPRAISAL OF THE MONOTHERMAL WARM CALORIC SCREENING-TEST, The Annals of otology, rhinology & laryngology, 104(12), 1995, pp. 942-945
The usefulness of a monothermal warm caloric screening test (MWST) for
predicting alternate binaural bithermal test abnormalities has been r
eexamined. Previously, researchers have reported false-negative rates
for the MWST ranging from 0% to over 35%. Alternate binaural bithermal
test data from 504 consecutive patients were evaluated with MWST fail
ure criteria of 24.5% and 29%, with and without the addition of failur
e criteria from subtests of the electronystagmography examination. Sen
sitivity of the MWST alone was high, and improved with additional fail
ure criteria. The specificity levels were correspondingly high. Result
s support the use of the MWST with adjunctive failure criteria when pa
tients have otherwise normal electronystagmography findings.