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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jnnp.2007.122952v1 79/3/284    most recent Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by Zingler, V C Articles by Strupp, M PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Zingler, V C Articles by Strupp, M

Follow-up of vestibular function in bilateral vestibulopathy

¹ Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Klinikum Grosshadern, Munich, Germany
² Department of Neurology, University of Pécs, Hungary

Correspondence to:
Dr V C Zingler, Department of Neurology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistraße 15, D-81377 Munich, Germany; vera-carina.zingler{at}med.uni-muenchen.de

Methods: 82 patients (59 males, 23 females; mean age at the time of diagnosis 56.3 (SD 17.6) years) were re-examined 51 (36) months after the first examination. All patients underwent a standardised neuro-ophthalmological and neuro-otological examination. Electronystagmography with bithermal caloric irrigation was analysed by measurement of the mean peak slow phase velocity (SPV) of the induced nystagmus. Patients evaluated the course of their disease in terms of balance, gait unsteadiness and health related quality of life.

Results: Statistical analysis of the mean peak SPV of caloric induced nystagmus revealed a non-significant worsening over time (initial mean peak SPV 3.0 (3.5)°/s vs 2.1 (2.8)°/s). With respect to subgroups of aetiology, only patients with BV due to meningitis exhibited an increasing, but non-significant SPV (1.0 (1.4)°/s vs 1.9 (1.6)°/s). Vestibular outcome was independent of age, gender, time course of manifestation and severity of BV. Single analysis of all patients showed that a substantial improvement 5°/s occurred in two patients on both sides (idiopathic n = 1, Sjögren’s syndrome n = 1) and in eight patients on one side (idiopathic n = 6, meningitis n = 1, Menière’s disease n = 1). In 84% of patients there was impairment of their health related quality of life (42% slight, 24% moderate, 18% severe). Forty-three per cent of patients rated the course of their disease as stable, 28% as worsened and 29% as improved.

Conclusions: Our data support the view that more than 80% of patients with BV do not improve. Thus the prognosis of BV is less favourable than assumed.