Clinical Analysis of 42 Patients with Bilateral Vestibulopathy / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To find out the causative factors and clinical features of bilateral vestibulopathy in the Korean population. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The data of 42 patients (mean age 55.04+/-18.87 years) with bilateral vestibulopathy were reviewed retrospectively between 1997 and 2009. We carried out a full neurotological examination, electronystagmography, a bithermal caloric test, a rotatory chair test, cranial imaging and laboratory studies. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (45.24%) were diagnosed as having secondary bilateral vestibulopathy with causative factors. The most common cause was ototoxic drug (14.29%). Other etiologic causes were labyrinthitis, temporal bone fracture, Meniere's disease, peripheral neuropathy and meningitis/encephalitis. Forty-five percent of all patients had symptoms that lasted less than 1 month, and about 43% of the patients presented with chronic progressive symptoms of over 1 year. CONCLUSION: In about 54% of all patients, we couldn't find any causative factors leading to bilateral vestibulopathy. Because a large subgroup of patients had a history of dizziness over one year, an adequate number of studies on vestibular and cerebellar function are recommended for patients of chronic dizziness to exclude bilateral vestibulopathy.