Epidemiology of Dizzy Patient Population in a Neurotology Clinic and Predictors of Peripheral Etiology

Dizziness and Imbalance Across the Lifespan: Findings of a Pediatric and Adult Vestibular Clinic

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate diagnostic trends in pediatric and adult patients presenting for multidisciplinary subspecialty evaluation of dizziness and imbalance across the lifespan.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

SETTING

Single pediatric and single adult academic tertiary care hospital.

METHODS

Retrospective review of electronic health record for patients presenting to an adult or pediatric multidisciplinary vestibular clinic from 2017 to 2020, including clinical data, physical therapy evaluation, and audiovestibular testing.

RESULTS

A total of 1934 patients aged 1 to 95 were evaluated. Most patients were female (n = 1188, 61%); the largest cohort was in the fifth decade of life (n = 321, 17%). Seventy-six percent of patients (n = 1470) were assigned a pathologic diagnosis. Central causes of dizziness were most common in children and young adults, comprising 38% to 54% of all diagnoses in ages 1 to 30. The proportion of peripheral vestibular disorders increased with age, peaking at 32% in ages 61 to 70. Vestibular migraine was the most common pathologic diagnosis in ages 6 to 20 (n = 110, 39%) and 31 and 50 (n = 69, 17%) regardless of gender, but was more prevalent in females (21% vs 14%; P < .0001). The prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) increased throughout the lifespan, peaking at age 71 to 80. Meniere's disease (MD) did not occur within the first decade of life, but increased thereafter, peaking at ages 51 to 60.

CONCLUSION

Multidisciplinary vestibular evaluation resulted in a diagnosis for the majority of patients. Vestibular diagnoses vary across the lifespan however among most age groups, central disorders, including migraine disorders, outnumber peripheral vestibulopathies. The prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorders such as BPPV and MD increased with age.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Current Demography and Treatment Strategy of Vestibular Migraine in Neurotologic Perspective

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to describe the demographic features of vestibular migraine (VM) compared to other common peripheral vestibulopathies, and to assess the efficacy of trigger management as primary VM treatment.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Tertiary referral medical center.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed of patients presenting with dizziness in a tertiary neurotology clinic. Among the newly diagnosed dizzy patients, those with a diagnosis of either VM, Ménière's disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or vestibular neuritis/labyrinthitis were selected for comparisons of the disease demographics. VM patients with multiple clinic visits in the study period were included for the treatment strategy analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1285 patients met the study inclusion criteria. In the newly diagnosed dizzy group comprising 814 patients, VM patients accounted for the largest (25%) and youngest (mean age 47 years) cohort, showing an obvious female preponderance of approximately 3.3:1. Furthermore, prevalence of VM declined significantly with advancing age, from 69%, to 34%, to 11%, in age groups of ≤30, 31 to 60, and >60 years, respectively. Trigger management, when employed as the primary VM first-year treatment, was effective for both sexes. Notably, it was more effective for women aged over than under 45 years.

CONCLUSION

In our tertiary referral neurotologic center, VM was the most common diagnosis in newly diagnosed dizzy patients aged under 60 years, especially in women. For primary VM treatment, trigger management is an effective option deserving consideration.

Clinical Aspects of Vertigo and Dizziness: What Should the Radiologist Know?

Dizziness and vertigo are common complaints in both emergency and outpatient settings, requiring careful evaluation to determine appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Differentiating between peripheral and central causes of dizziness is crucial for effective management. Peripheral causes, such as vestibular neuritis, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, and Ménière's disease, are contrasted with central causes such as stroke, demyelinating diseases, and posterior fossa tumors. Diagnostic approaches include assessing nystagmus patterns, the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and the HINTS Plus test. Vestibular disorders are classified as acute, episodic, or chronic based on duration and symptom presentation. Imaging plays a significant role in identifying central causes when clinical findings are inconclusive. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the clinical evaluation and diagnostic methods for dizziness and vertigo, with emphasis on distinguishing peripheral from central etiologies.

Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) as a Cause of Dizziness - Expanding the Etiological Spectrum

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Dizziness is a frequent complaint encountered in neurology clinics. Dizziness can be spontaneous or triggered, which includes orthostatic dizziness. Orthostatic dizziness can be acute (reflex/vasovagal syncope), chronic (orthostatic hypotension (OH), or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Since dizziness has numerous causes, these patients undergo extensive investigations before a diagnosis is made. Here, we describe five patients who presented with dizziness and were diagnosed to have POTS on evaluation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study of patients who presented to the Department of Neurology from August 2020 to November 2021 with the complaint of dizziness and were diagnosed with POTS. The clinical history, neurological examination, treatment response, routine blood investigations, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain, and autonomic function tests (AFTs) of the patients were reviewed from patients' clinical records. Patients with dizziness and with diagnosis other than POTS were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

Among the five patients, males were predominant with a male to female ratio of 3:2. All the patients were in their early fourth decade with a mean age of 35.4 years. The presenting symptom was dizziness, and the key associated symptoms were anxiety and headache. Due to the orthostatic nature of symptoms and absence of orthostatic fall in blood pressure (BP), a detailed AFT was carried out, leading to the diagnosis of POTS. Patients were assessed at 3-6 months after treatment and there was a moderate response in one and no response in the remaining four patients.

CONCLUSION

POTS should be considered a possible etiology when patients present with orthostatic dizziness in the absence of orthostatic fall in BP. Anxiety and headache may be associated with this type of dizziness.

Probabilities of Isolated and Co-Occurring Vestibular Disorder Symptom Clusters Identified Using the Dizziness Symptom Profile

OBJECTIVES

Dizziness is among the most common reasons people seek medical care. There are data indicating patients with dizziness, unsteadiness, or vertigo may have multiple underlying vestibular disorders simultaneously contributing to the overall symptoms. Greater awareness of the probability that a patient will present with symptoms of co-occurring vestibular disorders has the potential to improve assessment and management, which could reduce healthcare costs and improve patient quality of life. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine the probabilities that a patient presenting to a clinic for vestibular function testing has symptoms of an isolated vestibular disorder or co-occurring vestibular disorders.

DESIGN

All patients who are seen for vestibular function testing in our center complete the dizziness symptom profile, a validated self-report measure, before evaluation with the clinician. For this retrospective study, patient scores on the dizziness symptom profile, patient age, and patient gender were extracted from the medical record. The dizziness symptom profile includes symptom clusters specific to six disorders that cause vestibular symptoms, specifically: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular migraine, vestibular neuritis, superior canal dehiscence, Meniere disease, and persistent postural perceptual dizziness. For the present study, data were collected from 617 participants (mean age = 56 years, 376 women, and 241 men) presenting with complaints of vertigo, dizziness, or imbalance. Patients were evaluated in a tertiary care dizziness specialty clinic from October 2020 to October 2021. Self-report data were analyzed using a Bayesian framework to determine the probabilities of reporting symptom clusters specific to an isolated disorder and co-occurring vestibular disorders.

RESULTS

There was a 42% probability of a participant reporting symptoms that were not consistent with any of the six vestibular disorders represented in the dizziness symptom profile. Participants were nearly as likely to report symptom clusters of co-occurring disorders (28%) as they were to report symptom clusters of an isolated disorder (30%). When in isolation, participants were most likely to report symptom clusters consistent with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular migraine, with estimated probabilities of 12% and 10%, respectively. The combination of co-occurring disorders with the highest probability was benign paroxysmal positional vertigo + vestibular migraine (~5%). Probabilities decreased as number of symptom clusters on the dizziness symptom profile increased. The probability of endorsing vestibular migraine increased with the number of symptom clusters reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Many patients reported symptoms of more than one vestibular disorder, suggesting their symptoms were not sufficiently captured by the symptom clusters used to summarize any single vestibular disorder covered by the dizziness symptom profile. Our results indicate that probability of symptom clusters indicated by the dizziness symptom profile is comparable to prior published work on the prevalence of vestibular disorders. These findings support use of this tool by clinicians to assist with identification of symptom clusters consistent with isolated and co-occurring vestibular disorders.

Machine learning models help differentiate between causes of recurrent spontaneous vertigo

BACKGROUND

Vestibular migraine (VM) and Menière's disease (MD) are two common causes of recurrent spontaneous vertigo. Using history, video-nystagmography and audiovestibular tests, we developed machine learning models to separate these two disorders.

METHODS

We recruited patients with VM or MD from a neurology outpatient facility. One hundred features from six "feature subsets": history, acute video-nystagmography and four laboratory tests (video head impulse test, vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials, caloric testing and audiogram) were used. We applied ten machine learning algorithms to develop classification models. Modelling was performed using three "tiers" of data availability to simulate three clinical settings. "Tier 1" used all available data to simulate the neuro-otology clinic, "Tier 2" used only history, audiogram and caloric test data, representing the general neurology clinic, and "Tier 3" used history alone as occurs in primary care. Model performance was evaluated using tenfold cross-validation.

RESULTS

Data from 160 patients with VM and 114 with MD were used for model development. All models effectively separated the two disorders for all three tiers, with accuracies of 85.77-97.81%. The best performing algorithms (AdaBoost and Random Forest) yielded accuracies of 97.81% (95% CI 95.24-99.60), 94.53% (91.09-99.52%) and 92.34% (92.28-96.76%) for tiers 1, 2 and 3. The best feature subset combination was history, acute video-nystagmography, video head impulse test and caloric testing, and the best single feature subset was history.

CONCLUSIONS

Machine learning models can accurately differentiate between VM and MD and are promising tools to assist diagnosis by medical practitioners with diverse levels of expertise and resources.

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness: A functional neuro-otologic disorder

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a functional neuro-otologic disorder that is the most frequent cause of chronic vestibular syndrome. The core vestibular symptoms include dizziness, unsteadiness, and non-spinning vertigo, which are exacerbated by an upright posture or walking, active or passive motion, and exposure to moving or complex visual stimuli. PPPD is mostly precipitated by acute or episodic vestibular diseases; however, its symptoms cannot be accounted for by its precipitants. PPPD is not a diagnosis of exclusion, but may coexist with other structural diseases. Thus, when diagnosing PPPD, the patient's symptoms must be explained by PPPD alone or by PPPD in combination with a structural illness. PPPD is most frequently observed at approximately 50 years of age, with a female predominance. Conventional vestibular tests do not reveal any specific signs of PPPD. However, the head roll-tilt subjective visual vertical test and gaze stability test after exposure to moving visual stimuli may detect the characteristic features of PPPD, that is, somatosensory- and visually-dependent spatial orientation, respectively. Therefore, these tests could be used as diagnostic tools for PPPD. Regarding the pathophysiology of PPPD, neuroimaging studies suggest shifts in interactions among visuo-vestibular, sensorimotor, and emotional networks, where visual inputs dominate over vestibular inputs. Postural control also shifts, leading to the stiffening of the lower body. To treat PPPD, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, vestibular rehabilitation, and cognitive behavioral therapy are used alone or in combination.

Short-Term Benefits from Manual Therapy as an Adjunct Treatment for Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness Symptoms: A Preliminary Prospective Case Series

Persistent dizziness and balance deficits are common, often with unknown etiology. Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (3PD) is a relatively new diagnosis with symptoms that may include dizziness, unsteadiness, or non-vertiginous dizziness and be persistent the majority of time over a minimum of 90 days. The purpose of this case series was to investigate short-term outcomes of reducing dizziness symptoms using a manual therapy intervention focused on restoring mobility in the fascia using a pragmatically applied biomechanical approach, the Fascial Manipulation® method (FM®), in patients with 3PD. The preliminary prospective case series consisted of twelve (n = 12) patients with persistent complaints of dizziness who received systematic application of manual therapy to improve fascial mobility after previously receiving vestibular rehabilitation. The manual therapy consisted of strategic assessment and palpation based on the model proposed in the FM® Stecco Method. This model utilizes tangential oscillations directed toward the deep fascia at strategic points. Six males (n = 6) and females (n = 6) were included with a mean age of 68.3 ± 19.3 years. The average number of interventions was 4.5 ± 0.5. Nonparametric paired sample t-tests were performed. Significant improvements were observed toward the resolution of symptoms and improved outcomes. The metrics included the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and static and dynamic balance measures. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory scores decreased (i.e., improved) by 43.6 points (z = -3.1 and p = 0.002). The timed up and go scores decreased (i.e., improved) by 3.2 s (z = -2.8 and p = 0.005). The tandem left increased (i.e., improved) by 8.7 s (z = 2.8 and p = 0.005) and the tandem right increased (i.e., improved) by 7.5 s (z = 2.8 and p = 0.005). Four to five manual therapy treatment sessions appear to be effective for short-term improvements in dizziness complaints and balance in those with 3PD. These results should be interpreted with caution as future research using rigorous methods and a control group must be conducted.

Outcomes and Patient Experience in Individuals With Longstanding Dizziness

PURPOSE

This study aimed to describe the relationship between changes in pre and post self-perceived dizziness handicap, scores on the patient health questionnaire, and perceptions of patient's value of being evaluated and managed by a multidisciplinary team.

METHOD

Seventy-eight patients completed the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and Patient Health Questionnaire-Fourth Edition (PHQ-4) questionnaires post multidisciplinary clinical consultations and testing for the chief complaints of dizziness, unsteadiness, vertigo, or balance problems. The diagnoses of each patient were recorded from the clinical reports of each specialty consultation and were classified as structural, functional, or psychiatric. They were contacted by phone at least 6 months after their visit to obtain feedback regarding their symptoms and overall patient experience.

RESULTS

The change in DHI total score did not differ significantly by diagnosis (p = .56), indicating that patients experienced an improvement in DHI total score regardless of diagnosis. PHQ-4 anxiety scores worsened by a mean of 0.7 points for those with structural diagnoses (p = .04), improved by a mean of 0.7 points for psychiatric diagnoses (p = .16), and improved by a mean of 0.3 points for functional diagnoses (p = .39). Only seven patients would not recommend the team to a family or friend; these patients tended to report worsening DHI total scores (p = .27) compared to the significant improvement in DHI total scores for patients who would make such a recommendation (p < .001). Similarly, only 13 patients did not feel the information they received had a positive impact; these patients tended to report worsening DHI total scores (p = .18) compared to the significant improvement in DHI total scores for patients who did feel the information had a positive impact (p < .001).

DISCUSSION

The assessment and management of patients with chronic dizziness is challenging due to symptoms arising from multiple etiologies. Our finding of a vast difference between high satisfaction and relatively unchanged dizziness handicap suggests that there is value in seeing a multidisciplinary team where consultations are unhurried, care is coordinated, and expectations regarding treatment can be managed.

[Demographic and epidemiological risk factors in patients with acute vestibular neuritis]

OBJECTIVE

Vestibular neuritis (VN) is one of the most common peripheral vestibular balance disorder. Demographic and other risk factors associated with VN are insufficiently published. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify associated risk factors in patients with acute VN.

METHODS

This study evaluated all hospitalized VN cases between 2017-2019. Inclusion criteria was an otoneurologically confirmed diagnosis of acute VN. Patient data was compared with data of the German normal population (Robert Koch Institute, "Gesundheit in Deutschland aktuell").

RESULTS

168 patients (Ø 59.8 years) were included. Compared with the normal German population, the study population was significantly more likely to have preexisting cardiovascular diseases, and the male patients were significantly more likely to have arterial hypertension. No significant differences were measurable between the study population and the normal population for other secondary diseases. Leukocytosis was present in 23% on admission, and 9% of patients reported a history of VZV or HSV-1 disease.

DISCUSSION

Etiology and pathogenesis of VN are poorly understood. Inflammatory and vascular causes are discussed. In this study, patients had increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease compared with the normal population, but the study population had a higher average age. Currently, it is unclear what significance nonspecific elevated leukocyte values could have as a possible sign of VN triggered by an infection. Since the number of inpatient cases with VN is rising, prospective studies should be performed to get a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease.

Hospital Admission Profile Related to Inner Ear Diseases in England and Wales

BACKGROUND

Due to an expansion in the usage of medications (such as anticancer therapies), increased exposure to noise, and an increase in life expectancy, the prevalence of inner ear disease-related hearing loss is rising. Diseases of the inner ear are frequently accompanied by other conditions, such as chronic heart failure, systemic inflammation, arterial hypertension, and cerebrovascular disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the profile of hospital admissions linked to inner ear diseases in England and Wales.

METHOD

This was an ecological descriptive study using public medical databases in England and Wales. Diagnostic codes for diseases of the inner ear (H80-H83) were used to identify all hospital admissions. Between 1999 and 2020, the chi-squared test was used to assess the difference between the admission rates.

RESULTS

From 5704 in 1999 to 19,097 in 2020, the total annual number of hospital admissions increased by 234.8%, which corresponds to a 192.3% increase in the admission rate [from 10.94 (95% CI 10.66-11.22) in 1999 to 31.98 (95% CI 31.52-32.43) in 2020 per 100,000 people, p < 0.01]. "Disorders of vestibular function" and "other inner ear diseases" were the most frequent causes of hospital admissions due to inner ear diseases, accounting for 47.6% and 43.6%, respectively. The age range of 15 to 59 years accounted for 42.3% of all diseases of the inner ear hospital admissions. Around 59.6% of all admissions were made by females. The female admission rate increased by 210.1% (from 12.43 (95% CI 12.01-12.85) in 1999 to 38.54 (95% CI 37.84-39.24) in 2020 per 100,000 people). The male admission rate for diseases of the inner ear increased by 169.6% [from 9.37 (95% CI 9.00-9.75) in 1999 to 25.26 (95% CI 24.69-25.84) per 100,000 people] in 2020.

CONCLUSION

Inner ear disease admissions increased markedly in England and Wales during the past two decades. Females and the middle-aged population were at higher risk of being admitted for inner ear diseases. Further cohort studies are warranted to identify other risk factors and develop effective prevention strategies.

Oral traditional Chinese medicine for vestibular Migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Vestibular migraine is a common vertigo disease, and studies confirm that Traditional Chinese medical has unique advantages in treating vestibular migraine. However, there is no unified clinical treatment method and lacks objective outcome indicators. This study aims to provide evidence-based medical evidence by systematically evaluating the clinical efficacy of oral TCM in treating vestibular migraine.

METHODS

Search journals related with clinical randomized controlled trials of oral traditional Chinese medicine for vestibular migraine in databases includes China Academic Journals full-text database (CNKI), China Biology Medicine disc (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal Database(VIP), Wangfang Medicine Online(WANFANG), PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and OVID databases from their inceptions until September 2022. The quality of the included RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, then conduct the Meta analysis by using RevMan5.3.

RESULTS

There were 179 papers left after selection. Moreover, according to the literature inclusion and exclusion criteria, 158 studies were filtered and the remaining 21 articles would be considered in this paper, which include 1650 patients in total and 828 of them were in the therapy group and 822 of them were in the control group.Furthermore,the therapy group outperformed the control group in terms of the total efficiency rate and TCM syndrome score, and the difference is statistically significant(P < 0.01). The number of vertigo attacks and the duration of each vertigo decreased compared to the control group, which difference is also statistically significant (P < 0.01). The funnel chart of the total efficiency rate was approximately symmetric and publication bias was low.

CONCLUSION

The oral traditional Chinese medicine is an effective way for vestibular migraine, which would help with the clinical symptoms, reduce the TCM syndrome score, decrease the number of vertigo attacks and the duration of each vertigo, and improve life quality of patients.

Evaluation and management of paediatric vertigo

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review summarizes the most current information on cause, evaluation and treatment of dizziness in children.

RECENT FINDINGS

There has been an increased understanding of the multifactorial cause of dizziness in the paediatric population. Quantitative vestibular testing is increasingly used and valuable as a diagnostic adjunct. Vestibular rehabilitation, migraine hygiene, psychological therapies, pharmaceuticals and/or surgery can be used as well tolerated and effective treatments for vertigo in children and adolescents when tailored to cause.

SUMMARY

Paediatric vertigo can be effectively evaluated through careful history taking and physical examination along with adjunctive tests, such as vestibular testing and audiometry, when appropriate. Options for treatment of vestibular disorders in children and adolescents have greatly expanded in recent years allowing for the effective management of nearly all cases of paediatric vertigo, though a multimodal and/or multidisciplinary approach is often needed.

Beyond Vertigo- Perceptual Postural Phobic Dizziness (PPPD): Our experience

Notwithstanding current understanding of vertigo, there are various clinical scenarios which are intriguing for clinicians, where patients have been too symptomatic but the presentation does not fit into any diagnosis. We stumbled upon a new entity during literature search known as Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD). It fills the lacuna where we are often left wanting for diagnosis in the existing pool of knowledge. This case series has been prepared keeping in view the lack of data regarding PPPD in Indian population. For better understanding we present the illustration of our patients in this case series. We presented the details of three patients who were diagnosed as PPPD and managed effectively and followed up for one year. The nomenclature portrays the core concept of dizziness. The diagnostic criteria clearly define PPPD. It should not be used as escape or exclusion diagnosis. Our case series highlights various presentation of, not so uncommon, PPPD in Indian population. The case series has been brought out to address the deficiency of knowledge in dealing with intriguing vertigo. Careful thorough history is important to reach a diagnosis and avoids unwarranted vestibular sedatives. It highlights that proper counselling and vestibular rehabilitation can help the patients overcome their chronic disability.

Differential Involvement of Lateral Semicircular Canal and Otolith Organs in Common Vestibular Disorders

Semicircular canal and otolith functions came to be evaluated recently, but comprehensive and comparative analysis of canal and otolith dysfunction in common vestibular disorders is lacking. We aimed to analyze the abnormal rates of canal and otolith function in common vestibular disorders. We enrolled 302 patients who were managed for 2 months in a dizziness clinic. Results of caloric, video head impulse test (vHIT), and cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP and oVEMP) tests were analyzed and compared among various diagnoses. Vestibular disorders diagnosed included recurrent vestibulopathy (RV, 27%), vestibular migraine (VM, 21%), benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV, 17%), Meniere's disease (MD, 11%), vestibular neuritis (VN, 10%), orthostatic dizziness (7%), and central lesions (3%). Lateral canal dysfunction was found most in VN (100%) and less commonly in definite MD (75%), RV (46%) and definite VM (29%). Abnormal caloric results were more common than abnormal vHIT in all disorders. Otolith dysfunction was found more frequently than lateral canal dysfunction in most vestibular disorders except VN. An abnormal cVEMP was more frequent in definite MD than the other disorders. Isolated otolith dysfunction without lateral canal dysfunction was the most found in BPPV, followed by definite VM, RV, and definite MD in decreasing order. Various patterns of involvement in canal and otoliths were revealed in vestibular disorders, suggesting different pathogenesis.

Care Gaps and Recommendations in Vestibular Migraine: An Expert Panel Summit

Vestibular migraine (VM) is an increasingly recognized pathology yet remains as an underdiagnosed cause of vestibular disorders. While current diagnostic criteria are codified in the 2012 Barany Society document and included in the third edition of the international classification of headache disorders, the pathophysiology of this disorder is still elusive. The Association for Migraine Disorders hosted a multidisciplinary, international expert workshop in October 2020 and identified seven current care gaps that the scientific community needs to resolve, including a better understanding of the range of symptoms and phenotypes of VM, the lack of a diagnostic marker, a better understanding of pathophysiologic mechanisms, as well as the lack of clear recommendations for interventions (nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic) and finally, the need for specific outcome measures that will guide clinicians as well as research into the efficacy of interventions. The expert group issued several recommendations to address those areas including establishing a global VM registry, creating an improved diagnostic algorithm using available vestibular tests as well as others that are in development, conducting appropriate trials of high quality to validate current clinically available treatment and fostering collaborative efforts to elucidate the pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying VM, specifically the role of the trigemino-vascular pathways.

Trends and patterns of neurotology drug prescriptions on a nationwide insurance database

OBJECTIVE

To examine neurotologists' 2013 to 2016 Medicare Part-D data and evaluate commonly prescribed medications, longitudinal changes in prescribing patterns, presumed associated pathologies, and cost distribution across United States.

METHODS

Comprehensive prescription data of Part-D-participating neurotologists was quiered from the 2013 to 2016 Medicare Part-D database. Outcome variables consisted of the 25 most commonly prescribed + refilled medications, cost distribution per medication, presumed associated pathologies, and standardized prescription cost across United States.

RESULTS

Of the 594 available U.S. neurotologists, 336 (57%) were found in the Medicare Part-D database. In 2016, total prescription costs were $4 483 268 with an averaged $13 343 ± $18 698 per neurotologist. The three most frequently filled drugs were fluticasone propionate, ciprofloxacin, and triamterene-hydrochlorothiazide. From 2013 to 2016, the greatest change in prescription pattern was observed with azelastine (+188%), montelukast sodium (+104%), mupirocin (+63%), and mometasone (-91%), whereas the greatest change in relative drug cost distribution was seen in ofloxacin, (+695.7%) neomycin-polymyxin-hydrocortisone (+262.1%), and mometasone (-83%). Triamterene-hydrochlorothiazide, prednisone, montelukast, amoxicillin-clavulanate, azelastine, spironolactone, and mupirocin had statistically significant increases in average number of prescriptions per physician, whereas ofloxacin and mometasone had significant decreases. Medications presumably treating Eustachian tube dysfunction, Meniere's disease, and vestibular migraine had the greatest percent changes across years. Cost distribution of four drugs increased upwards of 100%. Geographic analysis demonstrated that Southern and Midwest regions had higher standardized prescription costs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to analyze neurotologists' trends in prescribing patterns, regional prescription cost distributions, and commonly treated pathologies. This can lead to better standardization of prescribing patterns and cost in the future.

Vascular mechanisms in acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy: a systematic review

Acute unilateral peripheral vestibulopathy (AUPVP) is a frequent cause of vestibular loss. Several aetiologies have been proposed, but the exact mechanism remains unknown. The aim of this study is a systematic analysis of the literature evaluating the vascular aetiology of AUPVP. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane Library and Embase, including articles published from January 1^st, 2010 to November 30^th, 2020. Two reviewers independently selected articles investigating a link between AUPVP and vascular disease. The following information was extracted: year of publication, country, level of evidence, assessed vascular risk factors and number of patients. A total of 450 articles was obtained. Eleven articles were retained with 100% agreement between the two reviewers. In a pooled population of 805 patients, the main results were the higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and higher prevalence of vascular risk factors among AUPVP patients. A meta-analysis was not performed because the studies were too heterogeneous in terms of methodology. Indirect arguments for vascular mechanisms in AUPVP were found. These findings indicate that larger prospective well-controlled studies are needed to clarify the vascular aetiology of AUPVP.

Unusual Locations of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Rare Entity or Regular Occurrence?

INTRODUCTION

According to the literature and our recent experience, even if patients present with symptoms strongly suggestive of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the observed positional nystagmus does not always correspond to any previously described typical location. The aim of this multicentric study was to evaluate the frequency of both typical and less common forms of BPPV.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All consecutive patients presenting with BPPV in two hospitals between November 2016 and October 2017 were included. For each subject, answers to a standardized evaluation form and a recorded videonystagmoscopy were obtained by two otorhinolaryngologists. Appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 532 patients were studied and 491 cases of typical BPPV were found: 370 cases of canalolithiasis of the posterior semicircular canal (SCC), 3 cases of canalolithiasis of the anterior SCC, 107 cases of canalolithiasis of the lateral SCC, and 11 cases of cupulolithiasis of the lateral SCC. Fourty one patients reported symptoms suggestive of BPPV with positional nystagmus that could correspond to unusual locations of otoconia in the SCC: 18 cases of canalolithiasis in the anterior ampulla of the lateral SCC, 16 cases of posterior short arm canalolithiasis, four cases of pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus in canalolithiasis of the lateral SCC, and three cases of canalolithiasis of the posterior third of SCC.

DISCUSSION

Unusual BPPV accounted for almost 8% of BPPV treated in our clinics; it is paramount to know how to diagnose them, to carry out the appropriate therapeutic maneuvers and relieve these patients.

Approach to the History and Evaluation of Vertigo and Dizziness

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This article reviews a method of obtaining the medical history of patients presenting with dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance. By combining elements of the history with examination, the goal is to identify patterns and an effective differential diagnosis for this group of patients to help lead to an accurate diagnosis.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies over the past dozen years have changed the historical approach to patients with dizziness from one based primarily on how the patient describes the sensation of dizziness. This older approach can lead to misdiagnosis, so a preferred method puts greater emphasis on whether the dizziness is acute or chronic, episodic or continuous, or evoked by or brought on by an event or circumstance so that a pattern may be derived that better narrows the differential diagnosis and focused examination can further narrow to a cause or causes.

SUMMARY

Dizziness is a common symptom of many possible causes. This article will help clinicians navigate gathering the history and examination to formulate a working diagnosis in patients affected by dizziness.

[Clinical strategies to prevent falls]

With the aging of population structure, the age-related balance dysfunction increases gradually, and the injuries related fall are increasing, which cause a serious social and economic burden. In addition, dizziness or vertigo is very common clinically, and these patients also have a higher risk of falling. In order to reduce the incidence of falls, targeted prevention measures are urgently needed. In this paper, the risk assessment, preventive measures and rehabilitation strategies of falls are systematically expounded, it is hoped that it will be helpful for the prevention and treatment of falls.

Multiple Co-Occurring Vestibular Disorders Identified Using the Dizziness Symptom Profile

Purpose The purpose of the current investigation was to determine the interrelations among vestibular disorders from a data set generated from the patient perspective as compared to previous data generated from the physician's perspective. Method The data for the current investigation originated from a previously published study describing the development of the Dizziness Symptom Profile (DSP; Jacobson et al., 2019). The DSP is a 31-item patient self-report tool designed to help primary care physicians in the development of a differential diagnosis using the patient's level of agreement with each dizziness and symptom-related statement. Responses to these items converge on common vestibular diagnoses and were previously found to agree with ear specialist differential diagnoses 70.3% of the time. Data were collected for 131 subjects (M _age = 56.7 years, 72 women) seen for evaluation in a tertiary dizziness specialty clinic. For this study, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine the frequency of single diagnoses, multiple diagnoses, co-occurring diagnoses, and patterns of co-occurrence. Results Results indicated that 52.7% of patients endorsed a single vestibular diagnosis and 47.3% endorsed two or more vestibular diagnoses. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and vestibular migraine were the most common single diagnoses and also the most common co-occurring diagnoses. As the number of diagnoses endorsed on the DSP increased, so did the percentage of time that BPPV and vestibular migraine would occur. Conclusions Results support and extend the work of others but using data generated from the perspective of the patient. A slight majority of patients endorsed a single disorder, but almost as many patients endorsed more than one vestibular diagnosis. BPPV and vestibular migraine were the most common single vestibular diagnoses and also the most common co-occurring vestibular diagnoses; vestibular migraine was more common when multiple diagnoses were endorsed. Results suggest it is common for patients to volunteer symptoms that cannot be explained by a single vestibular diagnosis. This finding is in agreement with physician-generated diagnosis data. Clinicians should consider the possibility of co-occurring diagnoses in complicated patients or in patients who are not responding optimally to management of a single vestibular disorder. The DSP is a tool that encourages clinicians to consider multiple co-occurring vestibular disorders as the source of patient complaints.

Multifactorial Characteristics of Pediatric Dizziness and Imbalance

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relative prevalence of individual diagnoses in children and adolescents presenting with dizziness and/or imbalance, and to assess the proportion of patients assigned multiple contributing diagnoses.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed our internal database of all patients seen at our pediatric vestibular program between January 2012 and March 2019 to determine the incidence of common diagnoses and groups of diagnoses for patients ages 21 or younger.

RESULTS

One thousand twenty-one patients were included with a mean age of 12.5 ± 4.9 years (range: 9 months-21 years). Of this total, 624 patients were female and 397 were male. Common diagnoses included vestibular migraine (VM; 35.0%), benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV; 21.6%), primary dysautonomia (15.7%), anxiety disorder (13.5%), and persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD; 11.2%). A high proportion of patients (44.4%) received multiple contributing diagnoses. VM was frequently diagnosed with BPPV or PPPD, and 22 patients were diagnosed with all three concurrently.

CONCLUSION

The causes of dizziness and imbalance in the pediatric population are diverse, and many patients have multiple diagnoses that are often interrelated. It is important that providers recognize that the causes of vestibular symptoms in children and adolescents may be multifactorial and may span across multiple specialties.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 131:E1308-E1314, 2021.

Peripheral Vestibular Disorders: Nationwide Evidence From Taiwan

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorders in an Asian population of predominantly Han Chinese ethnicity.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Patients with a peripheral vertigo disorder were identified from the Taiwan Health Insurance Research Database, a database of all medical claims of a randomly selected, population-representative sample of 2 million enrollees of Taiwan's National Health Insurance system covering over 99% of Taiwan's citizens. In 2016, 59,986 patients received a diagnosis of peripheral vestibular disorders in Taiwan. We calculated the population-wide prevalence rates of peripheral vestibular disorders in 2016 by sex and age group (20 to 24, 25 to 29, 30 to 34, 35 to 39, 40 to 44, 45 to 49, 50 to 54, 55 to 59, 60 to 64, 65 to 69, and ≥ 70 years) stratified into five urbanization levels.

RESULTS

The prevalence rate of peripheral vestibular disorders was 2,833.4 per 100,000 population during the year. Prevalence of Meniere's disease was 70.4 per 100,000, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, 446.4, vestibular neuritis 307.2, and other or unspecified peripheral vestibular dizziness, 2,009.5 per 100,000. Prevalence rates steadily increased with age for every type of peripheral vestibular disorder, and were higher among females compared to males. The female-to-male gender ratios were 1.84, 1.89, and 1.93 for Meniere's disease, vestibular neuritis, and other peripheral vestibular dizziness, respectively. Counties with the lowest urbanization level had the highest prevalence rates of all types of peripheral vestibular disorders except vestibular neuritis.

CONCLUSIONS

Results showed that peripheral vestibular disorders are common in Taiwan, increase with age, are predominantly female, and show higher prevalence in rural areas.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

2b Laryngoscope, 131:639-643, 2021.

Demographic data and seasonal variation in peripheral vestibular disorders in ENT practices in Germany

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyze the demographic data pertaining to and seasonal variation in specific vestibular disorders in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) practices in Germany based on data from a representative nationwide practice database.

METHOD

The study sample included patients from 116 ENT practices in Germany who received an initial diagnosis (ICD-10 code) of Meniere's disease (MD, H81.0), benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV, H81.1), or vestibular neuronitis (VN, H81.2) between January 2014 and December 2016. Collected parameters included age, sex, and month of diagnosis. Seasonal variation was analyzed for younger vs. older patients (≤50 vs. >50 years of age). Two univariate Poisson regression models were fitted to estimate the association between the month of diagnosis and the number of diagnosed patients per practice.

RESULTS

A total of 20,720 patients were available for analysis. The average case numbers for MD, BPPV, and VN were 0.8 patients, 2.7 patients, and 1.5 patients per practice per month, respectively. The mean ages of female vs. male patients were 55 and 56 years (MD), 59 and 60 years (BPPV), and 58 and 57 years (VN), respectively. The proportions of female patients with these diagnoses were 62%, 70%, and 61%, respectively. All diagnoses were evenly distributed throughout the years in all age groups. No seasonal variation was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The demographic data of MD and BPPV patients are comparable to those found by previous large-scale epidemiologic studies. However, no seasonal variation was demonstrated for any vestibular disorder in this large sample.

A Novel Diagnostic Prediction Model for Vestibular Migraine

BACKGROUND

Increasing morbidity and misdiagnosis of vestibular migraine (VM) gravely affect the treatment of the disease as well as the patients' quality of life. A powerful diagnostic prediction model is of great importance for management of the disease in the clinical setting.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with a main complaint of dizziness were invited to join this prospective study. The diagnosis of VM was made according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Study variables were collected from a rigorous questionnaire survey, clinical evaluation, and laboratory tests for the development of a novel predictive diagnosis model for VM.

RESULTS

A total of 235 patients were included in this study: 73 were diagnosed with VM and 162 were diagnosed with non-VM vertigo. Compared with non-VM vertigo patients, serum magnesium levels in VM patients were lower. Following the logistic regression analysis of risk factors, a predictive model was developed based on 6 variables: age, sex, autonomic symptoms, hypertension, cognitive impairment, and serum Mg²⁺ concentration. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.856, which was better than some of the reported predictive models.

CONCLUSION

With high sensitivity and specificity, the proposed logistic model has a very good predictive capability for the diagnosis of VM. It can be used as a screening tool as well as a complementary diagnostic tool for primary care providers and other clinicians who are non-experts of VM.

Efficacy of Epley Maneuver on Quality of Life of Elderly Patients with Subjective BPPV

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the repositioning maneuver on quality of life in elderly patients with dizziness and/or vertigo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This controlled, prospective randomized clinical trial was conducted in elderly patients aged 65 years and above with a positive history of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), presence of vertigo, and no observable nystagmus during the Dix-Hallpike test, so-called Subjective BPPV (S-BPPV). Individuals were evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS) and dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Groups were defined as treatment (treated with Epley maneuver bilaterally) or no treatment control (no treatment modality or canalith repositioning maneuver). Ten days after the first assessment, all patients were reassessed using VAS and DHI.

RESULTS

A total of 50 patients were randomized into two groups: 25 to the treatment group, and 25 to the control group. No significant differences were observed for baseline VAS and total DHI scores between the groups (p=0.636, p=0.846, respectively). On the other hand, after the reassessment, VAS and total DHI scores were both significantly reduced in the treatment group (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively), but no reduction in either score was found in the control group (p=0.216, p=0.731, respectively).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that elderly patients with S-BPPV benefit from the Epley maneuver, in particular global and disease-specific quality of life.

Diagnoses of Dizziness- and Vertigo-related Disorders in ENT Practices in Germany

AIM

The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of dizziness- and vertigo-related diagnoses in ear, nose, and throat (ENT) practices in Germany and the associated demographic characteristics based on data from a representative nationwide practice database.

METHOD

The study sample included patients from 138 ENT practices in Germany who received dizziness- and vertigorelated diagnoses (ICD-10 code) between January 2012 and December 2015. Collected parameters included age, sex, insurance status, prescribed medication (anatomical therapeutic chemical [ATC] class), and referrals to other specialists and hospitals.

RESULTS

A total of 107,458 patients were available for analysis. Most common diagnoses were "dizziness and giddiness" (67.7%), "benign paroxysmal vertigo" (10.2%) and "disorder of vestibular function, unspecified" (7.2%). Referrals and admissions were made in 12.8%, mostly to radiologists (7.7%), followed by neurologists (3.7%), and hospitals (1.4%). Most referrals were made for unspecific diagnoses and for "vestibular neuronitis." The rate of medical prescriptions was 37.3%, with the most common prescription being for antivertigo preparations.

CONCLUSIONS

Dizziness- and vertigo-related disorders are frequently diagnosed in ENT practices in Germany. The majority of these diagnoses are unspecific and lead to an increased rate of referrals and hospital admissions. The medical prescription rate, especially of antivertigo preparations, was high, even among patients with benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo. This study reflects a mostly pragmatic approach to a complex diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in daily ENT practice as well as the limited ability of the ICD-10 system to classify the underlying etiology.

Assessment of a Statistical Algorithm for the Prediction of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Importance

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is an otologic pathologic condition defined as a sensation of spinning triggered by changes in head position relative to gravity and caused by an entrapment of fragmented endolymph debris most commonly in the posterior semicircular canal. Confirmation of diagnosis requires experience with procedures that are poorly known by those other than practitioners with advanced otologic training. The complexity in the diagnosis of BPPV inspired the design of a questionnaire-based algorithm that would be useful for determining a vestibular diagnosis and treatment options.

Objective

To assess a statistical algorithm for the diagnosis of BPPV in a busy tertiary care setting, with the long-term goal of implementing a clinical pathway to efficiently diagnose and treat patients with dizziness.

Design, Setting, and Participants

In this retrospective case series, 200 patients who visited the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for their initial vertigo symptoms from September 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016, were assessed.

Interventions

Use of a validated patient questionnaire as a tool to differentiate patients with dizziness in an electronic medical record review.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Linear predictor (LP) value based on the questionnaire for the diagnosis of BPPV.

Results

Of the 200 patient visits reviewed (132 [66%] female), 106 (53.0%; 68 [64%] female) had the information necessary to calculate the LP value and had a confirmed final diagnosis. On the basis of an LP value of 0.2 or greater, the sensitivity for a diagnosis of BPPV was 0.75 and the specificity was 1.0. The positive predictive value was 1.0, whereas the negative predictive value was 0.96. Patients with BPPV had a statistically significantly different LP value (odds ratio, 5.92; 95% CI, 2.73-12.83) than did patients without BPPV.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this study suggest that the algorithm is efficient for the diagnosis of BPPV in a clinical care setting.

Capturing acute vertigo

Objective

To facilitate the diagnosis of vestibular disorders by patient-initiated capture of ictal nystagmus.

Methods

Adults from an Australian neurology outpatient clinic reporting recurrent vertigo were recruited prospectively and taught to self-record spontaneous and positional nystagmus at home while symptomatic, using miniature video-oculography goggles. Consenting patients with ictal videorecordings and a final unblinded clinical diagnosis of Ménière disease (MD), vestibular migraine (VM), or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) were included.

Results

Ictal eye videos of 117 patients were analyzed. Of 43 patients with MD, 40 showed high-velocity spontaneous horizontal nystagmus (median slow-phase velocity [SPV] 39.7°/s; 21 showed horizontal nystagmus reversing direction within 12 hours [24 on separate days]). In 44 of 67 patients with VM, spontaneous horizontal (n = 28, 4.9°/s), upbeating (n = 6, 15.5°/s), or downbeating nystagmus (n = 10, 5.1°/s) was observed; 16 showed positional nystagmus only, and 7 had no nystagmus. Spontaneous horizontal nystagmus with SPV >12.05°/s had a sensitivity and specificity of 95.3% and 82.1% for MD (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84–0.99, 0.71–0.90). Nystagmus direction change within 12 hours was highly specific (95.7%) for MD (95% CI 0.85–0.99). Spontaneous vertical nystagmus was highly specific (93.0%) for VM (95% CI 0.81–0.99). In the 7 patients with BPPV, spontaneous nystagmus was absent or <3°/s. Lying affected-ear down, patients with BPPV demonstrated paroxysmal positional nystagmus. Median time for peak SPV to halve (T50) was 19.0 seconds. Patients with VM and patients with MD demonstrated persistent positional nystagmus (median T50; 93.1 seconds, 213.2 seconds). T50s <47.3 seconds had a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 77.8% for BPPV (95% CI 0.54–1.00, 0.64–0.88).

Conclusion

Patient-initiated vestibular event monitoring is feasible and could facilitate rapid and accurate diagnosis of episodic vestibular disorders.

Sexual dimorphism in vestibular function and dysfunction

It has been recognized for some time that females appear to be overrepresented in the incidence of many vestibular disorders, and recent epidemiological studies further support this idea. While it is possible that this is due to a reporting bias, another possibility is that there are actual differences in the incidence of vestibular dysfunction between males and females. If this is true, it could be due to a sexual dimorphism in vestibular function and therefore dysfunction, possibly related to the hormonal differences between females and males, although the higher incidence of vestibular dysfunction in females appears to last long after menopause. Many other neurochemical differences exist between males and females, however, that could be implicated in sexual dimorphism. This review critically explores the possibility of sexual dimorphism in vestibular function and dysfunction, and the implications it may have for the treatment of vestibular disorders.

The Interrelations Between Different Causes of Dizziness: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Vestibular Disorders

Background:

According to population-based studies that estimate disease prevalence, the majority of patients evaluated at dizziness clinics receive a single vestibular diagnosis. However, accumulating literature supports the notion that different vestibular disorders are interrelated and often underdiagnosed.

Objective:

Given the complexity and richness of these interrelations, we propose that a more inclusive conceptual framework to vestibular diagnostics that explicitly acknowledges this web of association will better inform vestibular differential diagnosis.

Methods:

A narrative review was performed using PubMed database. Articles were included if they defined a cohort of patients, who were given specific vestibular diagnosis. The interrelations among vestibular disorders were analyzed and placed within a conceptual framework.

Results:

The frequency of patients currently receiving multiple vestibular diagnoses in dizziness clinic is approximately 3.7% (1263/33 968 patients). The most common vestibular diagnoses encountered in the dizziness clinic include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular migraine, vestibular neuritis, and Ménière’s disease.

Conclusions:

A review of the literature demonstrates an intricate web of interconnections among different vestibular disorders such as BPPV, vestibular migraine, Ménière’s disease, vestibular neuritis, bilateral vestibulopathy, superior canal dehiscence syndrome, persistent postural perceptual dizziness, anxiety, head trauma, and aging, among others.

Clinical features of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of the posterior semicircular canal

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between age, gender and affected ear, in patients presenting benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study. Data from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo clinical reports (January 2009-December 2014) were analysed. A total of 174 patients affected by benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of the posterior semicircular canal have been identified. Pearson chi-square test has been used to evaluate the probability of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo occurrence in relation to gender and side, within the studied groups. The level of significance was set at a p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Considering age as a discriminant factor, three groups of patients were identified: group 1: 16 patients with an age <40 years; group 2: 79 patients with an age between 40 and 65 years and group 3: 79 patients with an age >65 years. In each group, the right posterior semicircular canal was involved in the majority of cases (group 1 incidence: 12/16; group 2 incidence: 49/79 and group 3 incidence: 52/79). In all three groups, female patients were significantly more affected (9/16 in group 1, 61/79 in group 2 and 55/79 in group 3).

CONCLUSION

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is most prevalent in female subjects having an age>40 years and mainly involves the right posterior semicircular canal.

[Clinical features and treatment of multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo]

OBJECTIVE

To reveal clinical features of natural history, diagnosis and treatment of multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (m-BPPV).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

640 patients with BPPV are evaluated. 80 (12.5%) patients had m-BPPV, 560 (87.5%) patients had single-canal BPPV. The analyses of involved canals and comparison of the course of the disease and effectiveness of treatment in m-BPPV and single-canal BPPV was done.

RESULTS

m-BPPV accounts for 12.5% of all patients with BPPV. In m-BPPV mostly unilateral involvement of posterior and horizontal canals are involved, in bilateral BPPV often both posterior canals are involved. M-BPPV is more often associated with middle and inner ear diseases. Recurrences are more often observed in m-BPPV. For m-BPPV it is typical to have more severe clinical symptoms: constant dizziness, balance problems, intensive nausea and vomiting, frequent falls. M-BPPV is often resistant to treatment with repositioning maneuvers: more maneuvers, more follow-up consultations, carrying out home-based vestibular exercises by patients and use of mechanical chair in some cases are necessary to achieve successful treatment. In patients with m-BPPV residual dizziness after successful treatment often takes place, so that additional diagnosis and assessment is needed.

Unique Clinical Language Patterns Among Expert Vestibular Providers Can Predict Vestibular Diagnoses

OBJECTIVE

To identify novel language usage by expert providers predictive of specific vestibular conditions.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review and natural language processing. Level IV.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Patients seen for vestibular complaint.

INTERVENTION(S)

Natural language processing and machine learning analyses of semantic and syntactic patterns in clinical documentation from vestibular patients.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Accuracy of Naïve Bayes predictive models correlating language usage with clinical diagnoses.

RESULTS

Natural language analyses on 866 physician-generated histories from vestibular patients found 3,286 unique examples of language usage of which 614 were used 10 or greater times. The top 15 semantic types represented only 11% of all Unified Medical Language System semantic types but covered 86% of language used in vestibular patient histories. Naïve Bayes machine learning algorithms on a subset of 255 notes representing benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, vestibular migraine, anxiety-related dizziness and central dizziness generated strong predictive models showing an average sensitivity rate of 93.4% and a specificity rate of 98.2%. A binary model for assessing whether a subject had a specific diagnosis or not had an average AUC for the receiver operating characteristic curves of .995 across all conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that expert providers utilize unique language patterns in vestibular notes that are highly conserved. These patterns have strong predictive power toward specific vestibular diagnoses. Such language elements can provide a simple vocabulary to aid nonexpert providers in formulating a differential diagnosis. They can also be incorporated into clinical decision support systems to facilitate accurate vestibular diagnosis in ambulatory settings.

Total caloric eye speed in patients with vestibular migraine

PURPOSE

Vestibular migraine is a common cause of dizziness that lacks a known objective test. This study examined total eye speed on caloric testing as a diagnostic marker for vestibular migraine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective chart review of patients seen in a tertiary otologic practice between 2004 and 2016 who had undergone caloric testing with water irrigation and had a diagnosis of vestibular migraine (n=34). A group of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (n=10) were used as a control group. Patients were grouped into quartiles based on total eye speed.

RESULTS

Only patients in the lowest quartile (total eye speed<79) had a diagnosis of vestibular migraine. All other quartiles included a mix of control and vestibular migraine patients.

CONCLUSION

Low total eye speed may be suggestive of a diagnosis of vestibular migraine, but most patients with vestibular migraine do not have low total eye speed.