Impacto de la rehabilitación vestibular en el riesgo de caída y la confianza del paciente / Impact of vestibular rehabilitation on the risk of falling and patient confidence

RESUMEN Introducción: Las alteraciones del sistema vestibular como la hipofunción vestibular unilateral, predisponen al usuario a sufrir caídas alterando así su confianza. Objetivo: Determinar el impacto de la rehabilitación vestibular en el riesgo de caídas y el grado de confianza en mujeres con hipofunción vestibular unilateral. Material y método: Se realiza estudio prospectivo en 20 pacientes de género femenino mayores de 60 años con diagnóstico de patología vestibular periférica. Se evalúa el riesgo de caídas con escala Tinetti y el grado de confianza al realizar actividades de la vida diaria por medio de la escala ABC (Activities-specific Balance Confidence), antes y después de realizar terapia de rehabilitación vestibular (RV). Resultados: Las dos variables estudiadas Tinetti y escala ABC demostraron mejoras significativas en la mayoría de las pacientes, demostrando que a medida que aumenta el grado de confianza disminuye el riesgo de caídas. Conclusión: Los resultados obtenidos de este estudio sugieren que la terapia de RV es eficiente en mejorar el riesgo de caídas y favorecer el aumento de confianza en las actividades de la vida diaria en el grupo de pacientes estudiadas.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Changes in the vestibular system, such as unilateral vestibular hypo-function, predispose the user to suffer falls, thus altering his confidence. Aim: To determine the impact of vestibular rehabilitation on the risk of falls and the degree of confidence in women with unilateral vestibular hypofunction. Material and method: A prospective study was conducted in 20 female patients over 60 years of age with a diagnosis of peripheral vestibular pathology. The risk of falls with a Tinetti scale and the degree of confidence in carrying out activities of daily living are evaluated through the ABC scale (Activities-specific Balance Confidence), before and after performing vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT). Results: The two variables studied, Tinetti and ABC scale showed significant improvements in most of the patients, demonstrating that as the degree of confidence increases the risk of falls decreases. Conclusion: The results obtained from this study suggest that VRT is efficient in improving the risk of falls and favoring an increase in confidence in the activities of daily life in the group of patients studied.

Efectividad de cinco sesiones de rehabilitación vestibular en mujeres mayores de 60 años con hipofunción vestibular / Effectiveness of five vestibular rehabilitation sessions in women over 60 years of age with vestibular hypofunction

RESUMEN Introducción: Los síntomas vestibulares son motivo frecuente de consulta en la atención médica, el adulto mayor y en especial el género femenino está expuesto a riesgo de caída por esta causa. Es común que el tratamiento de este grupo de pacientes sea los supresores vestibulares, y la terapia de rehabilitación vestibular (RV) se indique excepcionalmente, olvidando en ocasiones que los elementos anatomofuncionales involucrados en las disfunciones vestibulares son la integración del aparato visual, vestibular, y somatosensorial, pilares en los que se fundamenta la RV. Objetivo: El objetivo de este estudio es determinar si cinco sesiones RV son suficientes para disminuir la discapacidad funcional y el riesgo de caída en un grupo de pacientes con patología vestibular. Material y método: Estudio prospectivo con 14 pacientes de género femenino mayores de 61 años con diagnóstico de patología vestibular periférica. Se realizó evaluación de (dizziness handicap inventory) DHI, (timed up and go) TUG y (video head impulse test) vHIT previo y posterior a la intervención de cinco sesiones de RV. Resultados: Las tres variables estudiadas (DHI, TUG y vHIT) demostraron mejorías estadísticamente significativas en el grupo de pacientes. Conclusión: Los resultados obtenidos en este estudio permiten sugerir que la terapia de RV en pacientes adultos mayores, con patología vestibular periférica y sin medicación de supresores vestibulares, es una modalidad terapéutica adecuada y eficiente.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Vestibular symptoms are frequent reason for consultation in medical care, the elderly and especially the female gender is exposed to fall risk from this cause. It is common for the treatment of this group of patients to be vestibular suppressors while vestibular rehabilitation therapy is indicated exceptionally, sometimes forgetting that the anatomic and functional elements involved in vestibular dysfunctions are the integration of the visual, vestibular, and somatosensory, pillars in those that are based on vestibular rehabilitation (VR). Aim: The objective of this study is to determine if five VR sessions are sufficient to provide concrete quantitative data on the decrease of disability and risk of falling in a group of patients with vestibular pathology. Material and method: This prospective study included 14 female patients over 61 years of age with diagnoses of peripheral vestibular pathology. Dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), timed up and go (TUG) and video head impulse test (vHIT) were performed and after the intervention of five sessions of vestibular rehabilitation. Results: The three variables studied (DHI, TUG and vHIT) showed statistically significant improvements in the group of patients. Conclusions: The results obtained in this study allow us to suggest that VR therapy in elderly patients with peripheral vestibular pathology and without vestibular suppressor medication is an adequate, efficient and promising therapeutic modality.

Acute Bilateral Superior Branch Vestibular Neuropathy.

The rapid onset of a bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH) is often attributed to vestibular ototoxicity. However, without any prior exposure to ototoxins, the idiopathic form of BVH is most common. Although sequential bilateral vestibular neuritis (VN) is described as a cause of BVH, clinical evidence for simultaneous and acute onset bilateral VN is unknown. We describe a patient with an acute onset of severe gait ataxia and oscillopsia with features compatible with acute BVH putatively due to a bilateral VN, which we serially evaluated with clinical and laboratory vestibular function testing over the course of 1 year. Initially, bilateral superior and horizontal semicircular canals and bilateral utricles were impaired, consistent with damage to both superior branches of each vestibular nerve. Hearing was spared. Only modest results were obtained following 6 months of vestibular rehabilitation. At a 1-year follow-up, only the utricular function of one side recovered. This case is the first evidence supporting an acute presentation of bilateral VN as a cause for BVH, which would not have been observed without critical assessment of each of the 10 vestibular end organs.