Characteristics of persistent postural perceptual dizziness patients in a multidisciplinary dizziness clinic

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.

Psychosocial Factors Associated with dizziness and chronic dizziness: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Dizziness is a common symptom in adults, and chronic dizziness, such as persistent postural-perceptual dizziness, is also frequently reported and affects the quality of life of patients. This study aimed to identify psychosocial factors related to dizziness and chronic dizziness in a large-scale nationwide cohort.

METHODS

This population-based cross-sectional study used the database of the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2020. Data from 4,147 adults over 40 years old were analyzed, and 1,102 adults who experienced dizziness were included in the dizziness cohort. Demographic data, medical conditions, comorbidities, functional status variables, nutritional variables and psychological variables were collected. The pattern of depressive symptoms according to the severity of dizziness was analyzed by network analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence rate of dizziness was 24.6% in the general population, and chronic dizziness (≥ 3 months) developed in 210 of 1,102 (17.1%) individuals who experienced dizziness. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female sex, stress, and depression were associated with dizziness. Chronic dizziness was related to tympanic abnormalities, diabetes, short sleep duration, and higher levels of stress and depression. Psychomotor retardation/agitation was a central symptom of depression in patients with chronic dizziness.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found sex differences in factors associated with dizziness and identified psychosocial factors linked to chronic dizziness. Focusing on somatic factors rather than depressive symptoms may benefit patients with chronic dizziness.

Longitudinal Patient Outcomes in Chronic Dizziness: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Chronic dizziness can cause significant functional impairment. Outcome measures used in this patient population have not been examined systematically. Consequently, providers lack consensus on the ideal outcome measures to assess the impact of their interventions.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS

We conducted a scoping review to summarize existing literature on outcomes in chronic dizziness (with a minimum of 6 mo of patient follow-up). Among other details, we extracted and analyzed patient demographics, medical condition(s), and the specific outcome measures of each study.

RESULTS

Of 19,426 articles meeting the original search terms, 416 met final exclusion after title/abstract and full-text review. Most studies focused on Ménière's disease (75%) and recurrent benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (21%). The most common outcome measures were hearing (62%) and number of attacks by American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery criteria (60%). A minority (35%) looked formally at quality-of-life metrics (Dizziness Handicap Index or other).

CONCLUSIONS

Ménière's disease and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo are overrepresented in literature on outcome assessment in chronic dizziness. Objective clinical measures are used more frequently than quality-of-life metrics. Future work is needed to identify the optimal outcome measures that reflect new knowledge about the most common causes of chronic dizziness (including persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and vestibular migraine) and consider what is most important to patients.

Changes in functional connectivity among vestibulo-visuo-somatosensory and spatial cognitive cortical areas in persistent postural-perceptual dizziness: resting-state fMRI studies before and after visual stimulation

INTRODUCTION

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a functional chronic vestibular syndrome with symptom exacerbation by upright posture, motion, and complex visual stimuli. Among these exacerbating factors, visual exacerbation is the most specific characteristic of PPPD requiring further investigation. We hypothesized that stimulus-induced changes occur in the functional connectivity (FC) rather than simple neural activation that is involved in visual stimulation. The present study aimed to identify the neural basis of PPPD by investigating FC before and after visual stimulation.

METHODS

Eleven patients with PPPD and 11 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) before and after task-based fMRI with visual stimuli.

RESULTS

At pre-stimulus, FC between the vestibular cortex and visual areas was low, while that between the somatosensory and visual areas was high in PPPD compared with that in HCs. FC between the visuospatial (parahippocampal gyrus) and spatial cognitive areas (inferior parietal lobule) was elevated in PPPD even in the pre-stimulus condition, which no longer increased at post-stimulus as observed in HCs. In the post-stimulus condition, FC between the visual and spatial cognitive areas and that between the visual and prefrontal areas increased compared with that in the pre-stimulus condition in PPPD. Task-based fMRI demonstrated that no brain regions showed different activities between the HC and PPPD groups during visual stimulation.

DISCUSSION

In PPPD, vestibular inputs may not be fully utilized in the vestibulo-visuo-somatosensory network. Given that the FC between visuospatial and spatial cognitive areas increased even in HCs after visual stimuli, elevated status of this FC in combination with the high FC between the somatosensory and visual areas would be involved in the visual exacerbation in PPPD. An increase in FC from the visual areas to spatial cognitive and prefrontal areas after visual stimuli may account for the prolonged symptoms after visual exacerbation and anxious status in PPPD.

Clinical features of persistent postural-perceptual dizziness with isolated otolith dysfunction as revealed by VEMP and vHIT findings

Background

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a relatively new disease entity, with diagnostic criteria published by the Bárány Society. PPPD is often preceded by a peripheral or central vestibular disorder. It is not clear how coexisting deficits due to preceding vestibular disorders affect PPPD symptoms.

Objective

This study aimed to characterize the clinical features of PPPD with or without isolated otolith dysfunction using vestibular function tests.

Methods

The study included 43 patients (12 males and 31 females) who were diagnosed with PPPD and completed oculomotor-vestibular function tests. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Niigata PPPD Questionnaire (NPQ), and Romberg test for stabilometry were examined. The 43 patients with PPPD were classified into four categories based on vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) and video head impulse test (vHIT) results: normal function for both semicircular canals and otoliths (normal), isolated otolith dysfunction (iOtoDys), isolated semicircular canal dysfunction (iCanalDys), and dysfunction of both otoliths and semicircular canals (OtoCanalDys).

Results

Among the 43 patients with PPPD, the iOtoDys group was the largest (44.2%), followed by the normal group (37.2%), iCanalDys group (9.3%), and OtoCanalDys group (9.3%). Eight of the 19 iOtoDys patients showed both abnormal cVEMP and oVEMP responses unilaterally or bilaterally (both sacculus and utriculus damage type), whereas 11 showed either an abnormal cVEMP or an abnormal oVEMP response (either sacculus or utriculus damage type). In a three-group comparison of the both sacculus and utriculus damage type, the either sacculus or utriculus damage type, and the normal group, the mean total, functional, and emotional DHI scores were significantly higher for the both sacculus and utriculus damage type than for the either sacculus or utriculus damage type. The Romberg ratio, a measure of stabilometry, was significantly higher for the normal group than for the both sacculus and utriculus damage type and the sacculus or utriculus damage type in the iOtoDys group.

Conclusions

The coexistence of sacculus and utriculus damage may exacerbate dizziness symptoms in patients with PPPD. Determining the presence and extent of otolith damage in PPPD may provide useful information on the pathophysiology and treatment strategies of PPPD.

The INVEST trial: a randomised feasibility trial of psychologically informed vestibular rehabilitation versus current gold standard physiotherapy for people with Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness

BACKGROUND

Persistent postural perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a common and disabling functional neuro-vestibular disorder. We aimed to determine the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a randomised controlled trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy informed vestibular rehabilitation (INVEST intervention) designed for persistent dizziness.

METHODS

A two-armed parallel groups randomised feasibility study of INVEST vs. a time-matched gold standard vestibular rehabilitation (VRT) control. Participants with PPPD were recruited from a specialist vestibular clinic in London, UK. Participants were individually randomised using a minimisation procedure with allocation concealment. Measures of feasibility and clinical outcome were collected and assessed at 4 months.

RESULTS

Forty adults with PPPD were randomised to six sessions of INVEST (n = 20) or gold standard VRT (n = 20). Overall, 59% of patients screened met the inclusion criteria, of which 80% enrolled. Acceptability of INVEST, as assessed against the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA), was excellent and 80% adhered to all 6 sessions. There were small to moderate treatment effects in favour of INVEST across all measures, including dizziness handicap, negative illness perceptions, symptom focussing, fear avoidance, and distress (standardised mean difference [SMD]g = 0.45; SMDg = 0.77; SMDg = 0.56; SMDg = 0.50, respectively). No intervention-related serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The study results give strong support for the feasibility of a full-scale trial. Both arms had high rates of recruitment, retention, and acceptability. There was promising support of the benefits of integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy-based vestibular rehabilitation compared to gold standard vestibular rehabilitation. The study fulfilled all the a-priori criteria to advance to a full-scale efficacy trial.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN10420559.