RESUMEN
The purpose of this work was to study the prevalence of canal paresis and associated abnormalities in patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo [BPPV]. Retrospective study of patients with BPPV attending the outpatient clinics of ENT and hearing and balance at DSFH, Jeddah, K.S.A. The study group consisted of 108 patients, 63 females and 45 males with unilateral posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo examined between March 2005, and November 2005. Their age ranged from 27 to 79 years. In this study the male to female ratio was 1: 1.4. The patients had a mean age of 48.6 +/- 12.4 years. Sixty nine patients [63.8%] were idiopathic BPPV and 39 patients [36.2%] had associated disorders with BPPV. The results of caloric test for patients with posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo revealed that 36 patients [33.3%] had caloric abnormalities, 21 patients [19.4%] had canal paresis, and 15 patients [13.8%] had directional preponderance. Primary BPPV with no associated disorders is more common than BPPV with associated disorders. BPPV is more common in females. Canal paresis may be found in patients with BPPV either on the same side or on the other unaffected side. Consequently, ENG test battery should be a routine test for evaluation of BPPV to detect other associated abnormalities