Abstract
Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with dizziness according to the level of dizziness-related disability. Methods: Vestibular system evaluation forms of the patients who applied to the otolaryngology outpatient clinic between June 2018 and January 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Ninety patients with dizziness complaints were included in the study. These patients were divided into 3 groups as mild disability, middle disability and severe disability according to the Dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Demographic characteristics, comorbidity, smoking and alcohol use, motion sickness, duration of dizziness, type of dizziness and vestibular test results (Fukuda test, tandem stance test, tandem walking test, positional tests, head impulse test (HIT), head shake test, caloric test, gaze test, oculomotor tests and spontaneous nystagmus test) were evaluated according to the level of dizziness-related disability. Results: Twenty-one of the patients were male (21.3%), 69 (78.7%) were female and the mean age was 40.54 ± 12.91; (range 15-73). Patients with cervical disc herniation, motion scikness, abnormal HIT, abnormal tandem stance test and prolonged dizziness had more severe dizziness-related disability level (p <0.05). There was also a mild positive relationship between age and functional disability (p <0.05). Conclusion: Patients with motion sickness, cervical disc herniation, prolonged dizziness, abnormal tandem posture test and abnormal HIT have a more severe disability. These factors should be considered in dizziness therapies applied to decrease vestibular symptoms and improve quality of life.
Highlights
Vestibular pathologies cause symptoms such as dizziness and imbalance in individuals and decrease the quality of life [1]
Dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) has been developed to evaluate physical, functional and emotional disability related to dizziness and vertigo caused by vestibular diseases [3]
This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with dizziness according to level of dizziness-related disability
Summary
Vestibular pathologies cause symptoms such as dizziness and imbalance in individuals and decrease the quality of life [1]. These individuals often have fear of falling due to dizziness, mobility limitation and psychological morbidity (anxiety and depression). The location and severity of the pathology can be determined with tests used to diagnose vestibular losses such as caloric test and vHIT. These tests do not give information about dizziness-related disability level (DDL) in dizzy patients. Dizziness disability perception is multifactorial and factors such as the psychological, demographic and social status of individuals can affect the level of dizziness disability
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