Individualized repositioning with a mechanical rotational chair facilitates successful treatment of patients with very retractable benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

BACKGROUND

About 12.5 % of patients diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), experience persistent BPPV where it is unknown why some BPPV cases are very refractory (vrBPPV) to treatment.

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective was to investigate if patients with vrBPPV could be successfully treated with a mechanical rotation chair (MRC) adjusted to the exact vertical semicircular canal (SCC) angles of the individual patient. Secondary endpoint was to determine if inner ear anomalies were predominant in these patients.

METHODS

This prospective clinical trial included 20 patients (main group) who underwent computed tomography (CT) with measurements of the bony island and the width between the SCC walls of the posterior leg of the lateral SCCs. The inter-SCC angles, the angles between the sagittal plane and the vertical SCCs were compared to the presumed mean standard angles of the SCCs. Of these, 14 patients (subgroup) underwent individualized treatment with the Rotundum® repositioning chair according to their measured SCC angles.

RESULTS

All measured SCC angles differed significantly (p < 0.05) from the presumed mean standard SCC angles, except the angle between the sagittal plane and the left posterior SCC (p-SCC). Three out of 14 patients experienced subjective and objective remission after treatment with this MRC. Six out of 14 patients experienced either subjective remission or objective remission.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with vrBPPV have vertical SCC angles that differ significantly from the presumed mean standard SCC angles. Individualized treatment with this MRC successfully treated 21.4 % of the patients with vrBPPV and provided subjective relief for 42.9 %.

When Particle Repositioning Maneuvers Just Will Not Stick: Clinical Considerations for Persistent Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

PURPOSE

Although benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is often considered benign and easily treatable, aberrant cases of persistent BPPV can be challenging to manage. Detailed differential diagnosis is essential as central-, vascular-, and cervical-related etiologies may mirror the presentation of persistent BPPV. In addition, an understanding of alternative noninvasive treatment options is important as persistent BPPV is often refractory to traditional particle repositioning maneuvers (PRMs). This article reviews clinical considerations for persistent BPPV.

METHOD

A case of a 68-year-old male diagnosed with posterior semicircular canal BPPV (PC-BPPV) and received various unsuccessful PRMs treatments is described. His clinical presentation is referenced alongside various possible etiologies to discern the most likely diagnosis. Nonsurgical treatment options for intractable PC-BPPV will also be reviewed.

CONCLUSIONS

BPPV recalcitrant to PRM treatment warrants investigation of other etiologies; however, key elements of the case history and objective examination are helpful for differential diagnosis. Brandt-Daroff exercises may facilitate habituation of symptoms secondary to persistent BPPV. More research is needed to understand the use of multiaxial repositioning chairs for the treatment of intractable BPPV.

Vestibular dysfunction amongst adolescents: what do we know? A review

BACKGROUND

Vestibular dysfunction in children is a debilitating condition that results in countless pernicious effects, such as motor development delay, poor academic performance and psychosocial impairment. Yet, research pertaining to vestibular and balance disorders amongst adolescents is still lacking and remains an enigma.

METHODS

This paper outlines novel emerging aetiological factors contributing to vestibular dysfunction amongst adolescents by appraising published articles through a narrative review.

RESULTS

Underlying aetiological factors of vestibular dysfunction can be identified among adolescents with thorough evaluation. Proper diagnostic evaluation of vestibular dysfunction is imperative in providing optimal care and guiding appropriate treatment strategies. The available literature demonstrated multifactorial aetiological factors that contribute to vestibular dysfunction in adolescents.

CONCLUSION

Outlining the underlying aetiological factors of vestibular dysfunction is vital to ensure that patients receive appropriate care and treatment.

Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness in Children and Adolescents

OBJECTIVE

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) is a recently defined diagnostic syndrome characterized by chronic symptoms of dizziness, unsteadiness, and/or non-spinning vertigo. Although PPPD has been studied in adults, reports in the pediatric population are few. The goal of this study was to describe the presentation and treatment of PPPD in a group of pediatric patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective chart review.

SETTING

Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

≤21 years old, who met Bárány Society consensus criteria for a diagnosis of PPPD and were followed for ≥6 months or until symptom resolution.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURESS

Patient demographics, comorbidities, symptom chronicity, and response to treatment(s).

RESULTS

Of the 53 patients identified, 44 (83.0%) were women. Mean age at the time of initial evaluation was 14.6 years old. Common diagnoses in addition to PPPD included benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (64.2%), vestibular migraine (56.6%), and anxiety (28.3%). A high proportion of patients (43.4%) reported initially missing school or work due to their symptoms. Eighteen patients (34.0%) reported symptom resolution ranging from 2 to 48 months after diagnosis (median 9 mo). Of these patients, 15 of 18 attended physical therapy (PT), 11 of 18 attended cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and/or biofeedback therapy, and 10 of 18 took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications, and 7 of 18 (40%) did a combination of all three therapies.

CONCLUSION

PPPD can impact patients at a young age, and prolonged symptoms present a significant burden to children and adolescents, many of whom are unable to attend school. Treatments such as PT, CBT, and SSRI medication may be effective.

Cervical VEMP tuning changes by Meniere's disease stages

Objective

To determine if changes in cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) testing reflect the different stages of cochlea-saccular hydrops in Meniere's disease (MD).

Methods

This is a case-control retrospective series. Forty-seven patients with unilateral MD by American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery diagnostic and staging criteria, and 30 with non-MD vertigo as control. Meniere patients were further classified based on symptoms at the time of testing as active or stable. Subsequently, patients underwent cVEMP testing by tone-burst stimuli at 500 and 1,000 Hz. The main outcome measure was to compare the cVEMP 1,000 and 500 Hz amplitude ratio in ears with MD and non-MD vertigo, and in active versus stable MD.

Results

The cVEMP 1,000/500 Hz amplitude ratio was higher in Meniere's ears (mean = 1.14 μV, SD = 0.25) than in non-Meniere's ears (mean = 0.96 μV, SD = 0.2) (Student's t test, P = .001), and higher in active (mean = 1.22 μV, SD = 0.25) than in stable MD (mean = 1.00 μV, SD = 0.18) (P = .0035). The diagnostic value of cVEMP 1,000/500 Hz amplitude ratio to differentiate MD versus non-MD vertigo was evaluated with a receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.716 (95% confidence interval [CI] [0.591, 0.829]). The ideal cutoff point was 0.9435 with sensitivity and specificity values of 83% and 53%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity values for this test to differentiate active versus stable MD were 68% and 81%, respectively, with AUC 0.746 (95% CI [0.607, 0.885]) and cutoff value of 1.048. In all ears, the 1,000/500 Hz amplitude ratio increased by a decrease of the 500 Hz amplitude with increasing age.

Conclusion

The cVEMP 1,000/500 Hz amplitude ratio is elevated in ears with MD but not in those with non-MD vertigo. After corrected by age, this ratio is higher in active but not in stable MD, probably reflecting dynamic changes in saccular membrane motion mechanics in hydrops, and may be a useful marker of disease progression and the effect of therapy.

Level of Evidence

IV.

Utricular paresis and semicircular canal hyperactivity: a distinct otolith syndrome

CONCLUSIONS

Although combined utricular and canal paresis has been described previously, this is the first report of canal hyperactivity associated with utricular hypofunction. Unsteadiness and swaying were the most common symptoms, and patients with shorter duration of symptoms also had positional vertigo. We propose that this syndrome is a variant of utricular dysfunction and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of peripheral vestibular disorders.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a syndrome of instability associated with utricular dysfunction and hyperactive caloric responses.

METHODS

The study comprised 11 consecutive patients exhibiting abnormalities of the eccentric subjective visual vertical test (e-SVV) and high responses during the caloric test of the videonystagmography (VNG). We carried out a review of symptoms, physical examination, and vestibular tests.

RESULTS

There was no gender predilection or obvious etiology. The patients' main complaint included instability with linear symptoms (i.e., tilting, rocking, and swaying), with positional vertigo as a secondary symptom. Oculomotor testing, visual fixation index, and brain MRI were normal, excluding a central nervous system disorder. VNG was essentially normal except for hyperactive responses during the caloric testing in all patients. Abnormal e-SVV was found in 10 patients unilaterally and bilaterally in 1 patient. Abnormal oVEMP was found in seven of seven patients, further supporting a utricular site of lesion.

Nystagmus discordance with 2-dimensional videonystagmography in posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

OBJECTIVE

The Dix-Hallpike test is a standard component of the videonystagmography test battery and can diagnose posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of discordant, equivocal, and concordant nystagmus tracings in active posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo when compared directly with the eye video.

STUDY DESIGN

Case series with chart review of patients diagnosed with posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo by 2-dimensional videonystagmography from August 1, 2007, to August 1, 2012.

SETTING

A tertiary vestibular test laboratory.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Ninety-six adults (4 had bilateral involvement) with posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were included. A total of 100 videos with accompanying videonystagmography tracings were reviewed to determine nystagmus trajectory as well as globe position. Descriptive statistics were used to describe prevalence. Fisher exact test was used to compare proportions.

RESULTS

Sixty-two percent of cases involved benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of the right posterior semicircular canal, while 38% involved the left posterior semicircular canal. The prevalence of discordant, equivocal, and concordant tracings was 65% (65/100), 29% (29/100), and 6% (6/100). All tracing errors involved the horizontal channel. There was no association between tracing accuracy and the ear of involvement or globe position (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Two-dimensional videonystagmography tracings are not reliable for identifying nystagmus trajectory in posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.