Phobic postural vertigo--a long-term follow-up (5 to 15 years) of 106 patients.
One hundred and six patients diagnosed between 1987 and 1998 to have somatoform phobic postural vertigo were examined in a follow-up study with a self-evaluating questionnaire. The improvement rate after a mean follow-up time of 8.5 years (5 to 15.9 years) was 75% (27% of the patients reported a complete remission). While the majority of these patients experienced improvement or remission during the first year after assessment of diagnosis and a short-term psychotherapeutic approach, some patients also had considerable improvement even after two or more years. There was a negative correlation between the duration of the condition before assessment of the diagnosis and the improvement/regression rate. The improvement/regression rate was independent of gender, age, preceding vestibular or non-vestibular organic disorders, and the various medical, physical, or psychotherapeutic interventions. Transient relapses occurred in 47% of the improved patients once or repeatedly. The probability of developing a relapse remained constant throughout the entire follow-up. None of the patients required a revision of the initial diagnosis on the basis of the questionnaire.
Huppert
D
D
Dept. of Neurology, University of Munich, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 München, Germany.
Strupp
M
M
Rettinger
N
N
Hecht
J
J
Brandt
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 May;44(5):387-91
7264685
Neuroreport. 2003 May 23;14(7):1007-11
12802192
Behav Res Ther. 2002 Jan;40(1):19-35
11762424
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1995 Nov;59(5):472-6
8530928
Nervenarzt. 2003 Oct;74(10):911-4
14551699
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1984 Apr;69(4):307-17
6144245
Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1999 Jun;125(6):615-20
10367916
J Neurol. 1994 Feb;241(4):191-5
8195816
Neurosci Lett. 2000 Apr 21;284(1-2):21-4
10771152
Exp Brain Res. 2002 Apr;143(3):269-75
11889504
Neurology. 1997 May;48(5):1161-6
9153437
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1990 Sep;47(9):809-18
2393339
J Nerv Ment Dis. 1994 May;182(5):290-6
10678311
Am J Otolaryngol. 1987 Jul-Aug;8(4):219-22
3631419
Br J Psychiatry. 1996 Mar;168(3):308-13
8833684
Acta Neurol Scand. 1997 Jan;95(1):23-8
9048981
J Neurol. 2004 Apr;251(4):381-7
15083281
Isr Med Assoc J. 2003 Oct;5(10):720-3
14719468
Semin Neurol. 1995 Jun;15(2):126-32
7481132
J Anxiety Disord. 2001 Jan-Apr;15(1-2):107-19
11388354
Neurology. 1996 Jun;46(6):1515-9
8649539
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1993 Jul;109(1):10-3
8336953