Feasibility and Safety of a Telemedically Performed Three-Component Oculomotor Testing Battery (HINTS) in Healthy Adults

The study investigates the feasibility and safety of the telemedical implementation of three diagnostic oculomotor tests using a video-oculography device and an extended teleconferencing system. The testing battery comprises Halmagyi's head impulse test, test for nystagmus and test of skew (vertical misalignment) known as the HINTS protocol. Previously published data have shown high sensitivity and specificity of the protocol for the discrimination of central and peripheral causes of acute vestibular syndrome. In this study the three tests will be executed on 30 healthy subjects using video goggles (EyeSeeCam, Interacoustics GmbH, Germany) connected to a mobile wireless-workstation for bidirectional audiovisual communication in a clinical environment (MEYTEC GmbH, Germany). A newly developed remote control and video conferencing solution allows the execution and evaluation of the HINTS protocol in a telemedical setup.

The examination is guided by a remote physician using the help of a trained assistant attending to the subject. Corresponding clinical bedside tests will be executed for comparison. Primary endpoint is feasibility of the three diagnostic tests in a telemedical setting. Safety as well as accuracy of the telemedical versus bedside examination will be analyzed as secondary outcome measures. Aim of the study is to improve diagnostic accuracy for patients with acute vestibular syndrome in remote areas where specialists are rare.