The clinical characteristics of dizzy patients with normal vestibular function tests

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dizziness is a very common complaint in every day practice. The prevalence of dizziness ranges from 1.8 % in young adults to 30% in the elderly. The sensitivity of vestibular function tests is limited. It was reported that the sensitivity of electronystagmography for diagnosing peripheral vestibular disorders was variable, ranging from 46 to 74%. The objective of this study is to analyse the causes and clinical characteristics of dizzy patients who show normal vestibular function tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1999 to June 2001, 375 dizzy patients with normal vestibular function tests(mean age, 49.7 years; range, 8 to 79 years) were assessed with the medical records and typed questionnaires about dizziness. RESULTS: Dizzy patients with normal vestibular function tests were attributed to an unknown cause in 20.0% of patients, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in 19.5%, migrainous dizziness in 11.7%, psychogenic dizziness in 10.4%, Meniere's disease in 9.6% and vertebrobasilar insufficiency in 7.2%. CONCLUSION: Dizzy patients with normal vestibular function tests can be evaluated by careful history taking and combined multidisciplinary approach with neurologist, psychiatrist and cardiologist and strict diagnostic criteria are necessary.