Risk Factors for Recurrence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) can be treated successfully in most cases. However, recurrences are common. We aimed to prospectively investigate demographic and clinical risk factors for BPPV recurrence. Our second aim was to investigate whether seasonality affects recurrences. METHODS: We recruited adult Dutch patients presenting at our dizziness clinic with a diagnosis of definite or possible BPPV for a prospective observational study with 1-year follow-up. Factors collected from patient history and questionnaires were age, sex, ethnicity, previous treatment for BPPV, duration of BPPV symptoms, number of treatment sessions for the initial BPPV episode, the affected canal, recent head trauma, and a history of vestibular neuritis, Menière's disease, (vestibular) migraine, gout, diabetes mellitus, and chronic renal failure. Factors derived from blood samples were uric acid, glycated hemoglobin, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D. RESULTS: We included 139 subjects with a mean age of 65 (SD, 13) years, of whom 70% was female. A total of 48 subjects (34.5%) suffered from at least one recurrence during the 1-year follow-up. Independent risk factors for recurrence of BPPV were "multiple treatment sessions for the initial BPPV episode" (incidence rate ratio, 1.74; 95% confidence interval 1.06-2.85; p = 0.027) and history of gout (incidence rate ratio, 1.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.57; p = 0.045). CONCLUSION: One-third of patients presenting in a tertiary dizziness clinic develop at least one recurrence of BPPV within 1 year. Multiple treatment sessions and a history of gout are independent risk factors for recurrence.

Treatment Results of Geotropic and Apogeotropic Horizontal Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in a Tertiary Dizziness Clinic.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of our treatment protocol for geotropic and apogeotropic horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (h-BPPV). Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients with newly diagnosed geotropic and apogeotropic h-BPPV who visited our clinic between July 2017 and December 2019. Patients were treated according to our treatment protocol, which was implemented in 2017. Patients with geotropic h-BPPV were preferably treated with the Gufoni maneuver. In patients with apogeotropic h-BPPV we executed the modified Gufoni maneuver to achieve conversion to the geotropic type. We looked at the number of successful treatments and the number of recurrences within 1 year. Results: We included 102 patients with h-BPPV, 62 (61%) of whom were treated for geotropic h-BPPV. The ratio of apogeotropic to geotropic h-BPPV was 0.65. After the first visit, we observed resolution of horizontal canal BPPV in 71 and 63% of the geotropic and the apogeotropic group, respectively. After the second visit, this percentage increased to 92% for geotropic h-BPPV and 78% for apogeotropic h-BPPV. After 1 year of follow-up we determined a recurrence rate of 32 and 24% for the geotropic and apogeotropic group, respectively. Conclusion: With our treatment protocol we managed to achieve high rates of symptom resolution in the geotropic and apogeotropic type of h-BPPV with acceptable recurrence rates. We observed a relatively high ratio of apogeotropic h-BPPV to geotropic h-BPPV.

The relation between dizziness and suspected obstructive sleep apnoea.

PURPOSE: (1) To determine the prevalence of a high risk of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in patients with dizziness. (2) To assess a relation between the risk of OSA and dizziness-related impairment. (3) To determine whether a high risk of OSA is associated with unexplained dizziness or with hyperventilation/anxiety disorders. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we included Dutch adult patients with dizziness. Patients suffering from dementia were excluded. We asked patients to complete the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and STOP-Bang questionnaire (SBQ). Based on the SBQ, patients were subdivided into groups with a low, intermediate, and high risks of OSA. All patients were subjected to our standard examinations for the workup for dizziness. RESULTS: Among 704 included patients with a mean age of 59 years (± 17 years), 258 (37%) were male. A high risk of OSA was present in 144 (20%) of our patients of whom 120 (83%) were male. Male patients with a high risk of OSA reported an on average 9-point higher score on the DHI than male patients with a low risk of OSA (p = 0.018). We determined an independent relation between the risk of OSA and dizziness-related impairment. We observed no relation between a high risk of OSA and unexplained dizziness or hyperventilation/anxiety disorders. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of a high risk of OSA in male patients with dizziness is high and a higher risk of OSA is associated with more dizziness-related impairments. A high risk of OSA is not associated with unexplained dizziness or with hyperventilation/anxiety disorders.

Effectiveness of Canal Occlusion for Intractable Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: A last resort for therapy for intractable benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is mechanical occlusion of the posterior semicircular canal. The aim of this review was to assess the effect of posterior canal occlusion for intractable posterior canal BPPV on vertigo and to determine the risk of loss of auditory or vestibular function. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature search according to the PRISMA statement was performed on PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, and CINAHL. The last search was conducted in June 2018. REVIEW METHODS: Cohort studies with original data and case reports describing >5 cases were included if they analyzed the effect of posterior semicircular canal obliteration in adults with intractable posterior BPPV on vertigo. Two authors screened titles and abstracts for eligibility. The first author screened full texts and analyzed the data. RESULTS: Eight retrospective studies met the eligibility criteria. The quality of all individual studies was rated fair. Canal occlusion was performed on 196 patients. All studies reported complete resolution of BPPV in all patients (100%). Among postoperatively tested patients, total loss of auditory function and vestibular function was reported in 2 of 190 (1%) and 9 of 68 (13%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Posterior semicircular canal plugging resulted in 100% resolution of BPPV in patients with intractable BPPV in all studies. However, the strength of evidence was weak. Potential serious complications, such as deafness and loss of vestibular function, should be taken into account.

Two Symptoms Strongly Suggest Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in a Dizzy Patient.

Introduction: This prospective cohort study determined which questions in patient history are most likely to identify symptoms that are independently associated with a diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional dizziness (BPPV) in patients presenting with dizziness, and to evaluate whether the patient's age and type of BPPV are of influence. Methods: We included adult patients with dizziness referred to our dizziness center, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, from December 2018 to November 2019. All patients completed a questionnaire, underwent vestibular testing and received a diagnosis. Symptoms strongly suggesting BPPV were tested with multivariable analysis to determine their independent associations with BPPV. Subgroup analysis was performed for patient age, and the type of BPPV. Results: We included a total of 885 patients, 113 of whom (13%) were diagnosed with BPPV. The duration of dizziness spells <1 min (Q2) and dizziness provoked by rolling over in bed (Q4) were independently associated with the diagnosis BPPV. Q2 showed a sensitivity of 43%, and a specificity of 75%; Q4 scored 81% and 68%, respectively. Overall, the way patients perceived their dizziness (vertigo, light-headedness or instability) was not independently associated with the diagnosis BPPV. In younger patients, light-headedness and instability decreased the likelihood of BPPV compared to vertigo. Conclusion: The most reliable predictors for BPPV in patient history are a short duration of the dizziness spell and provocation of dizziness by rolling over in bed. Unlike younger patients, elderly patients with BPPV do not only perceive the dizziness as vertigo, but also as a feeling of instability.

Physical and Emotional Burden of the Epley Maneuver in the Elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare experiences of anxiety and discomfort caused by the Epley maneuver and the willingness for a potential retreatment between younger (≤70 yr) and older (>70 yr) patients. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, observational cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. METHODS: Dutch adults, diagnosed with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, were included. Patients with dementia or subjected to an Epley maneuver ≤4 months before the hospital visit were excluded. Patients were asked about their experiences with the Epley maneuver directly after the maneuver, after 2 weeks and after 2 months. Differences in experiences between the age groups were tested with the Fisher's exact test and subgroup analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Out of 179 included patients, 115 (64%) were aged ≤70 and 134 (75%) were female. In both groups, 25% reported anxiety directly after the Epley maneuver. Two weeks later, 19 and 27%, respectively (p = 0.26) reported anxiety. In the young group, 30% expressed discomfort directly after treatment compared with 45% in the elderly (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.05-3.75, p = 0.04). Two weeks later, this was 36 and 38%, respectively (p = 0.87). This decreased to 24 and 33%, respectively (p = 0.37), after 2 months. There was no significant difference in willingness for potential retreatment between both groups after 2 weeks (93 and 95%, respectively, p = 0.75) nor after 2 months (97 and 92%, respectively, p = 0.13). CONCLUSION: The Epley maneuver results in little anxiety and discomfort both in young and in elderly patients. Most patients show willingness for potential retreatment in case symptoms recur.

Using principal component analysis to describe the midfacial deformities in patients with craniofacial microsomia.

PURPOSE: Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) is the result of a disturbance in embryologic development and is characterised by an asymmetric, mostly unilateral facial underdevelopment. The aim of this study is to understand the midfacial involvement in CFM using principal component analysis (PCA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pre-operative data from 19 CFM and 23 control patients were collected. A set of 71 landmarks was placed on three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions of all skulls to compare both populations. PCA visualised variation within both groups and calculated the vector of change. Linear measurements were taken to compare ratios between the populations and between the affected and unaffected sides in CFM patients. RESULTS: PCA defined a vector that described shape changes between both populations. Videos showed the variation within the control and CFM group and the transformation from a mean CFM skull into a normal phenotype. Linear measurements showed a significant difference between the affected and unaffected sides in CFM patients. CONCLUSION: PCA has not been applied on asymmetrical data before, but it has proved to be a useful method to describe CFM. The virtual normalisation of a mean CFM skull enables visualisation of the bony shape changes, which is promising to delineate and to plan surgical correction and could be used as an outcome measure.

Follow-up cultures for MRSA after eradication therapy: are three culture-sets enough?

OBJECTIVES: We compared the standard procedure of three MRSA follow-up culture sets to six to determine the number of recurrences detected between the third and sixth follow-up culture-set, and studied possible risk factors for MRSA recurrence. METHODS: A retrospective carrier cohort (2005-2010) was studied. Data was collected on MRSA culture-sets, follow-up, risk factors and outcome (recurrences during follow-up). We compared outcome between three and six follow-up MRSA culture sets, between HCWs and patients groups for complicated or uncomplicated carriers, and between nose-throat carriers and other carriers. RESULTS: Of 406 MRSA carriers, 179 had received eradication therapy and had a negative first follow-up MRSA culture-set. Between the third and sixth follow-up culture-set 54% (35/65) of total recurrences occurred. Over 88% of all recurrences were detected within two months. Combined nose and throat carriage OR 25.5 (1.6-419.1)) and intravascular lines (OR 13.6 (1.2-156.2)) were risk factors for early recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend five culture-sets till one year after successful eradication therapy with a distinction between those at risk for early recurrence and HCWs who require frequent culturing in the beginning and those not at risk for early recurrence. This recommendation is a balance between the need for swift detection of MRSA recurrence and the patients' burden.