The Comparison of Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo of Childhood and Migraine Related Vertigo in Children

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood (BPVC) and migraine related vertigo (MRV) are most common causes of vertigo in children. Some authors suggested that BPVC may be an early manifestation of migraine. However there is few articles about relationship between BPVC and MRV. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical characteristics, audiological and vestibular findings, treatment and prognosis of BPVC and MRV and to provide the helpful information for relationship between BPVC and MRV. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The twenty four children (less than 16 years old) with BPVC and 23 children with MRV, who visited the Dizziness Clinic in the Department of Otolaryngology, Ajou University Hospital, Suwon, Korea between January 2001 and August 2003 were selected for this study. These excluded the patients with abnormal eardrums/tympanograms or those that did not perform questionnaires, audiological, or vestibular evaluations. They were retrospectively analyzed for clinical symptoms, audiograms, vestibular functions, and treatment results. RESULTS: BPVC was frequently detected in younger children than MRV. Spinning sensation was frequently associated with BPVC. Aural symptoms, headache, photophobia, phonophobia, and visual symptoms were frequently associated with MRV. Abnormalities in vestibular function tests were 14 (58%) in BPVC and 15 (62%) in MRV. BPVC & MRV had good prognosis. But medication was sometimes more needed in MRV than in BPVC. CONCLUSIONS: BPVC and MRV show some different features in the age of onset, clinical features, treatment and prognosis, but also have some features of MRV. Further studies are needed to find their relationship between them.