ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Otorinolaringologia 2008 March;58(1):1-5

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Assessment of the neuroautonomic function in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Falciglia R., Abate M., Giuliano D. A.

Azienda Ospedaliera Umberto I Enna, Italia

Aim. Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is a labyrinth disease whose etiological definition is often unclear. One of the most important etiopathogenetic factors could be represented by neurautonomic disorders with sympathetic hypertone. The aim of this research is to evaluate the presence of a basal sympathetic hypertone in subjects with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Methods. Twenty patients (10 males, 10 females; average age ± standard deviation [SD]: 42.4±5.6; range 32-54 years old), were examinated. Twelve of them were suffering from cupulolithiasis of the posterior semicircular canal and 8 of them from cupulocanalolithiasis of the horizontal semicircular canal, Patients, after several examinations useful to control general and cochleo-vestibular conditions (hematic and cardiological parameters, eco-color-Doppler of epiaortic vessels, otoneurological examination, audiometry), were subjected to electrocardiogram Holter method to study neuroautonomic balance. This neurofunctional study was carried out in every patient in two distinct stages: subacute stage (two days after the last vertigo attack) and in the basal restoral stage (10 days after the last vertigo attack).
Results. The neuroautonomical balance study has disclosed a sympathetic prevalence in a restricted percentage of cases (15% in subacute stage, 10% in basal restoral stage).
Conclusion. The present paper shows that the sympathetic hypertone, meaningful etiopathogenetic factor in Mènière’s disease, does not play a remarkable role in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo aetiology.