Results from the Balance Rehabilitation Unit in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

UNLABELLED Posturography is a useful new tool to study the influence of vestibular diseases on balance. AIM to compare the results from the Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) static posturography in elderly patients with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV), before and after Epley's maneuver. MATERIALS AND METHODS a prospective study of 20 elderly patients with a diagnosis of BPPV. The patients underwent static posturography and the limit of stability (LE) and ellipse area were measured. We also applied the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) questionnaire to study treatment effectiveness. RESULTS 80% were females, with a mean age of 68.15 years. After the maneuver, the LE increased significantly (p=0.001). The elliptical area of somatosensory, visual and vestibular conflicts (2,7,8,9 situations) in BRU and the DHI scores decreased significantly (p<0.05) after treatment. CONCLUSION the study suggests that elderly patients with BPPV may present static postural control impairment and that the maneuver is effective for the remission of symptoms, to increase in the stability and improvement in postural control in situations of visual, somatosensory and vestibular conflicts.

[1]  C. S. Hallpike,et al.  The Pathology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis of Certain Common Disorders of the Vestibular System , 1952, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine.

[2]  C. S. Hallpike,et al.  LXXVIII The Pathology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis of Certain Common Disorders of the Vestibular System , 1952 .

[3]  C. Newman,et al.  The development of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. , 1990, Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery.

[4]  John M. Epley,et al.  The Canalith Repositioning Procedure: For Treatment of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo , 1992, Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

[5]  R. P. Di Fabio.  Sensitivity and specificity of platform posturography for identifying patients with vestibular dysfunction. , 1995, Physical therapy.

[6]  F. Horak.  Clinical assessment of balance disorders , 1997 .

[7]  Jean Massion,et al.  Postural Control Systems in Developmental Perspective , 1998, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.

[8]  G. Paludetti,et al.  Postural control in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo before and after recovery. , 1998, Acta oto-laryngologica.

[9]  R. O'reilly,et al.  Effectiveness of the Particle Repositioning Maneuver in Subtypes of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo , 2000, The Laryngoscope.

[10]  L. Parnes,et al.  Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: mechanism and management , 2001 .

[11]  M. Ruckenstein.  Therapeutic Efficacy of the Epley Canalith Repositioning Maneuver , 2001, The Laryngoscope.

[12]  M. Alessandrini,et al.  Long-Term Postural Abnormalities in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo , 2002, ORL.

[13]  M. A. Bottino,et al.  Perfil diagnstico do idoso portador de desequilbrio corporal: resultados preliminares , 2003 .

[14]  Ana Paula André.  Reabilitação vestibular da vertigem postural paroxística benigna de canal posterior em idosos , 2003 .

[15]  Alberto Carlos Amadio,et al.  Aspectos biomecânicos da postura ereta: a relação entre o centro de massa e o centro de pressão , 2003 .

[16]  F. Horak,et al.  Postural strategies associated with somatosensory and vestibular loss , 1990, Experimental Brain Research.

[17]  M. B. Gillespie,et al.  The Canalith Repositioning Procedure for Benign Positional Vertigo: A Meta‐Analysis , 2004 .

[18]  Gaye W. Cronin,et al.  Effectiveness of Treatment Techniques in 923 Cases of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo , 2005, The Laryngoscope.

[19]  K. Stambolieva,et al.  Postural stability in patients with different durations of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo , 2006, European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology and Head & Neck.

[20]  R. Baloh,et al.  The Dix‐Hallpike Test and The Canalith Repositioning Maneuver , 2005, The Laryngoscope.

[21]  Neil Cherian,et al.  Canalith Repositioning for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo , 2005, Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology.

[22]  Juliana Maria Gazzola,et al.  Circunstâncias e consequências de quedas em idosos com vestibulopatia crônica , 2006 .

[23]  Jamil Natour,et al.  Versão brasileira do Dizziness Handicap Inventory , 2007 .

[24]  J. Natour,et al.  [Brazilian version of the dizziness handicap inventory]. , 2007, Pro-fono : revista de atualizacao cientifica.

[25]  J. Casqueiro,et al.  No More Postural Restrictions in Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo , 2008, Otology & neurotology : official publication of the American Otological Society, American Neurotology Society [and] European Academy of Otology and Neurotology.