Res Vestib Sci.  2021 Jun;20(2):45-50. 10.21790/rvs.2021.20.2.45.

Clinical Characteristics of Recurrent Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Retrospective Cohort Study

• Kim JM
• Cho BH
• Lee JK
• Kim MK
• Lee SH

• KMID: 2516819
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21790/rvs.2021.20.2.45

Abstract

Objectives
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is a potentially recurrent disease even after successful canalith repositioning maneuvers. However, the exact recurrence rate or any clinical factors affecting the recurrence of BPPV still need to be elucidated.
Methods
We recruited patients diagnosed as BPPV in a tertiary hospital for 3 years. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical information of the patients including baseline demographics, comorbidities and predisposing factors through the electronic medical records. We performed a telephone survey or direct interview 3 to 6 years later from the initial diagnosis of BPPV was made. To determine the factors associated with the recurrence, we divided study population into two subgroups; ‘recurrence group’ vs. ‘recurrence-free group.’ Then, intergroup comparative analyses were performed.
Results
Among 397 patients who were originally eligible for the study, we performed a telephone survey or direct interview in 289 patients (72.8%) to determine the recurrence of BPPV. The overall recurrence rate was 29.4% (85 of 289). Baseline demographics except female gender (p=0.014) were not different between subgroups. Neither clinical characteristics nor vascular comorbidities were associated with the recurrence. However, patients with low bone mineral density (BMD; T-score below ‒1, osteopenia/osteoporosis) showed significantly higher recurrence than those with normal BMD (40.6% vs. 0%, p=0.009).
Conclusions
Female gender and low BMD (T-score below ‒1) were associated with the recurrence of BPPV in this study. Further researches in various clinical settings with larger sample size are warranted to identify the factors affecting the relapse of BPPV.

Keyword

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo; Recurrence; Osteoporosis; Women; 양성돌발체위현기증; 재발; 골다공증; 여성