Results of Bone Mineral Density Measurement in Woman Patients with Idiopathic Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Jang, Yoon Seok; Gu, Tae Woo; Bae, Woo Yong; Kang, Myung Koo; Kim, Jae Ryong

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It has been proposed that displaced particles arising from otoconial degeneration are the leading cause of idiopathic BPPV (iBPPV). Otoconial degeneration might be linked with skeletal decalcification due to both conditions being related to a disturbance in calcium metabolism. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of bone mineral density (BMD) measurement in women with iBPPV.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Fifty-four women with iBPPV underwent BMD test and the results were given as a T-score. We compared the T-scores of the patients with those of 173 healthy women by age and by the presence of menopause, and we also compared the T-scores by type of iBPPV among the premenopausal patients.
RESULTS
In all age groups, the mean T-score was significantly lower in the patients group than in the control group (p<.001). Regardless of the presence of menopause, the mean T-score in the patients was significantly lower than that in the control group (p<.001). By type of iBPPV, there was no significant difference in the T-scores among the groups.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that the values of BMD measurement in women with iBPPV were significantly lower than in the control group regardless of age or the presence of menopause. The results of this study suggest that iBPPV is linked with calcium metabolism. Future study will elucidate the utility of the therapy for disturbed calcium metabolism to decrease the recurrence of iBPPV.