A multicenter observational study on the role of comorbidities in the recurrent episodes of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

OBJECTIVE: Primary objective of this study was to find a statistical link between the most worldwide comorbidities affecting the elderly population (hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthrosis, osteoporosis and depression) and recurrent episodes of BPPV. Secondary objective was defining possible "groups of risk" for people suffering recurrent positional vertigo related to the presence of a well documented comorbidity. METHODS: This was an observational, cross-sectional, multicenter, spontaneous, non-pharmacological study. The data of 1092 patients suffering BPPV evaluated in 11 different Departments of Otolaryngology, Otoneurology and Neurology, referring Centers for positional vertigo evaluation, were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: Regarding evaluated comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthrosis, osteoporosis and depression), data analysis showed the presence of at least one comorbid disorder in 216 subjects (19.8%) and 2 or more in 408 subjects (37.4%). Moreover there was a statistical significant difference between the number of comorbidities and the number of recurrences, otherwise said as comorbidity disorders increased the number of relapses increased too. CONCLUSION: The presence of a systemic disease may worsen the status of the posterior labyrinth causing a more frequent otolith detachment. This condition increases the risk for patients suffering BPPV to have recurrent episodes, even if correctly managed by repositioning maneuvers. The combination of two or more of aforementioned comorbidities further increases the risk of relapsing BPPV, worsened by the presence of osteoporosis. On the basis of this results it was possible to define "groups of risk" useful for predicting BPPV recurrence in patients with one or more comorbidity.

Dos potenciais evocados miogênicos vestibulares nas orelhas comprometida e assintomática na Doenca de Ménière unilateral / Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in affected and asymptomatic ears in unilateral Ménière's Disease

Verificar se os potenciais evocados miogênicos vestibulares podem apresentar anormalidades na orelha comprometida e na orelha assintomática em pacientes com hipótese diagnóstica de doenca de Ménière definida unilateral. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Transversal coorte. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Foram avaliados os potenciais evocados miogênicos vestibulares de 20 pacientes com doenca de Ménière definida unilateral. A selecão dos indivíduos baseou-se na história e na avaliacão clínica sugestivas de doenca de Ménière definida unilateral, e eletrococleografia com anormalidades na orelha comprometida. Os potenciais evocados miogênicos vestibulares foram avaliados em ambas as orelhas de cada paciente por meio da latência absoluta de p13 e n23, diferenca interaural da latência dos picos p13 e n23 e índice de assimetria da amplitude de p13-n23. RESULTADO: Os potenciais evocados miogênicos vestibulares estavam alterados em 35,0 por cento das orelhas comprometidas e em 25,0 por cento das orelhas assintomáticas. As alteracões foram: ausência de resposta em sete casos, aumento da latência absoluta de p13 em três casos, e aumento do índice de assimetria da amplitude em um caso. CONCLUSAO: Os potenciais evocados miogênicos vestibulares podem apresentar anormalidades nas orelhas comprometida e assintomática de pacientes com hipótese diagnóstica de doenca de Ménière definida unilateral.

Is it important to restrict head movement after Epley maneuver?

UNLABELLED: The effectiveness of postmaneuver postural restrictions is controversial in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. AIM: To verify the role of postural restrictions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal, submitted to a single Epley maneuver. STUDY DESIGN: clinical prospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fifty eight patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal were randomly divided in two groups following the application of a unique Epley maneuver. The patients from group 1 were informed to restrict their head movements and to use a cervical collar and group 2 patients were not informed about these postmaneuver restrictions. The patients from both groups were reevaluated one week after Epley maneuver, regarding the presence of symptoms and positional nystagmus. RESULTS: One week after Epley maneuver 82.1% of the patients from group 1 and 73.3% from group 2 didn't present positional nystagmus (p=0.421). There was a clinical improvement in 96.0% of the patients from group 1 and in 94.0% from group 2 (p=0.781). CONCLUSION: The use of postural restrictions in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of posterior canal didn't interfere in their clinical evaluation, one week after a unique Epley maneuver.

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in affected and asymptomatic ears in unilateral Ménière's disease.

AIM: To verify whether vestibular evoked myogenic potentials can present abnormalities in the affected ear and in the asymptomatic ear in patients with diagnosis of unilateral Ménière's disease. STUDY DESIGN: Transversal cohort. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The vestibular evoked myogenic potentials of 20 patients with unilateral Ménière's disease were analyzed. The selection of individuals was based on the history and in clinical evaluation suggestive of unilaterally defined Ménière's disease, and with electrocochleography abnormalities in the affected ear. Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials were evaluated in both ears of each patient through absolute latencies of p13 and n23, interaural difference of latency of peaks p13 and n23 and amplitude p13-n23 asymmetry rate. RESULTS: Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials were altered in 35.0% of the affected ears and in 25.0% of the asymptomatic ears. The alterations were: absence of responses in seven cases, prolongation of p13 latency in three cases, and increase in interaural amplitude difference ratio in one case. CONCLUSION: The vestibular evoked myogenic potentials can present abnormalities in the affected and asymptomatic ears in patients with diagnosis of unilaterally defined Ménière's disease.

Da direçäo do nistagmo de posicionamento na vertigem posicional paroxística benigna / Positioning nystagmus direction in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

A pesquisa do nistagmo de posicionamento com óculos de Frenzel foi conduzida em 340 pacientes com hipótese diagnóstica de Vertigem Posicional Paroxística Benigna (VPPB). Houve comprometimento, em ordem decrescente de prevalência, dos canais semicirculares posteriores em 285 casos, posteriores ou anterioresem 44 casos, anteriores de canal semicircular posterior é comum, enquanto que o canal anterior é pouico freqüente e o de canal lateral é mais raro; o envolvimento labiríntico unilateral é mais freqüente do que o bilateral; o substrato fisiopatológico presumido de ductolitíase é mais comum do que o de cupulolitíase.

Comparaçäo entre a levofloxacina oral e a associaçäo de amoxicilina e clavulanato de potássio no tratamento da sinusite bacteriana aguda em adultos / A comparison of oral levofloxacin and amoxicillin clavulanate for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis in adults

Os autores apresentam um estudo multicêntrico, aberto, randomizado para comparar a eficácia e tolerabilidade da Levofloxacina oral à associação de Amoxicilina e Clavulanato de potássio no tratamento de sinusite bacteriana aguda em adultos. A Levofloxacina foi administrada na dose de 500 mg 1 vez ao dia, enquanto a associação Amoxicilina (500mg)/Clavulanato de potássio (125 mg) foi administrada 3 vezes ao dia, ambos tratamentos com duração de 14 dias. Foram avaliados os sintomas dor facial, rinorréia purulenta e obstrução nasal e também os sinais hiperemia, edema, secreção purulenta e dor a palpação dos seios paranasais. Os pacientes foram avaliados na admissão, com 3 a 6 dias de tratamento, 2 a 5 dias pós terapia e com 28 a 32 dias após o término da terapia. Foram classificados de acordo com a eficácia do tratamento em curados, melhorados, com falha terapêutica ou incapazes de serem avaliados. Foram também submetidos a questionários para verificação da aceitação da medicação. Ao fim do estudo, os autores classificaram a eficácia e a tolerabilidade como boas em ambos os grupos de medicamentos, não havendo diferença estatisticamente significante entre os mesmos. Concluindo, a Levofloxacina oral mostrou-se tão eficaz e com boa tolerabilidade quanto a associação Amoxicilina/Clavulanato de potássio para o tratamento da sinusite bacteriana aguda em adultos.