Correlation between vestibular test results and self-reported psychological complaints of patients with vestibular symptoms.

UNLABELLED: Cognitive and emotional factors may affect balance; psychiatric conditions are a common component in patient dizziness. The treatment of patients with vertigo may be affected to a greater degree by the suffering due to this disease than by the severity of organic changes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate associations between vestibular test results and self-reported psychological complaints in patients evaluated during 2009 in an audiology unit at a hospital in Porto Alegre. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive-exploratory study of data taken from a database of the software VecWin® and VecWin® 2, developed by Neurograff®. We investigated vestibular test results, reports of psychological symptoms reported spontaneously, and information such as age, sex and the presence of vertigo and/or dizziness. This study consisted of three steps: clustering, exclusion/inclusion and quantification. CONCLUSION: Age and gender and the presence or absence of vertigo and/or dizziness were not variables that influenced the outcomes of vestibular testing. There was a significant association between the presence of self-reported psychological complaints and normal vestibular test results. Thus, it is crucial that professionals pay attention to psychological issues reported by patients when the vestibular history is taken.

Correlação entre resultado do exame vestibular e queixas psicológicas autorrelatadas de pacientes com sintomas vestibulares / Correlation between vestibular test results and self-reported psychological complaints of patients with vestibular symptoms

Fatores cognitivos e emocionais podem afetar o equilíbrio, portanto, condições psiquiátricas são comuns em pacientes otoneurológicos. O tratamento dado ao sujeito vertiginoso pode ser mais influenciado pelo sofrimento e comportamento da doença do que pela gravidade da patologia orgânica. OBJETIVO: Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a associação entre os resultados do exame vestibular e queixa psicológica autorrelatada, em indivíduos atendidos no ano de 2009, no serviço de audiologia de um hospital em Porto Alegre. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo, descritivo-exploratório, consultando-se a base de dados dos softwares VecWin® e VecWin® 2 da marca Neurograff®. Foram investigados os resultados do exame vestibular, as queixas referentes aos sintomas psicológicos relatados espontaneamente e idade, sexo e queixa de vertigem e/ou tontura. O trabalho foi realizado em três etapas: agrupamento, exclusão/inclusão e quantificação. CONCLUSÃO: A faixa etária da amostra, o sexo e a presença ou ausência de vertigem e/ou tontura não foram variáveis de influência sobre o resultado do exame vestibular. Houve associação significativa entre a presença de queixa psicológica autorrelatada e o resultado normal do exame vestibular. Assim, é fundamental que os profissionais deem atenção às questões psicológicas relatadas pelo indivíduo na ocasião da anamnese vestibular.

Cognitive and emotional factors may affect balance; psychiatric conditions are a common component in patient dizziness. The treatment of patients with vertigo may be affected to a greater degree by the suffering due to this disease than by the severity of organic changes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate associations between vestibular test results and self-reported psychological complaints in patients evaluated during 2009 in an audiology unit at a hospital in Porto Alegre. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive-exploratory study of data taken from a database of the software VecWin® and VecWin® 2, developed by Neurograff®. We investigated vestibular test results, reports of psychological symptoms reported spontaneously, and information such as age, sex and the presence of vertigo and/or dizziness. This study consisted of three steps: clustering, exclusion/inclusion and quantification. CONCLUSION: Age and gender and the presence or absence of vertigo and/or dizziness were not variables that influenced the outcomes of vestibular testing. There was a significant association between the presence of self-reported psychological complaints and normal vestibular test results. Thus, it is crucial that professionals pay attention to psychological issues reported by patients when the vestibular history is taken.