ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BV) suffer from unsteadiness and oscillopsia, and despite of appropriate rehabilitation, permanent disability is inevitable. However, the level of functional outcomes could be influenced by whether there is residual vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) or not. Under the hypothesis that residual VOR function could result in better performances, we tried to compare in functional outcomes between complete and incomplete BV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty patients who have been diagnosed with BV in our institution were retrospectively reviewed retrospectively between 2008 and 2012. We classified them into complete BV group (n=19) and incomplete BV (n=31) group according to the presence of residual VOR. Among them, 31 patients responded to telephone survey (6 in complete group and 25 in incomplete group). The survey includes 5 categories such as the subjective dizziness restriction on daily life, oscillopsia, unsteadiness and depression. Each score ranged from 0 to 4 and patients were asked twice in different time period. RESULTS: There was no difference in etiology between complete and incomplete group. Incomplete group showed significant improvement in dizziness, restriction on daily life, oscillopsia and unsteadiness compared to complete group. Among 5 catergories, dizziness score was significantly improved in incomplete group (each mean improved sore+/-standard deviation; dizziness 1.84+/-0.83, oscillopsia 0.44+/-0.64, unsteadiness 1+/-1.09, depression 0.24+/-0.86 restriction on daily life 1.16+/-0.97). CONCLUSION: The presence of residual VOR function had better functional outcomes in bilateral vestibulopathy.