Canalith repositioning for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of canalith repositioning maneuvers (Semont, Epley, and modified maneuvers) in the treatment of posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) in comparison to the rate of resolution in the untreated control cohort.


METHODS
Source articles were identified by a MEDLINE search of English language sources before 2004 plus manual crosschecks of bibliographies from identified articles, selected national meeting abstracts, review article references, and textbook chapters.


METHODS
Each controlled trial that compared canalith repositioning patients to untreated control subjects in posterior canal benign positional vertigo (blinded and unblinded) was reviewed for inclusion.


METHODS
Data were abstracted systematically, scaled on validity and comparability, and cross-checked independently by another author.


RESULTS
Studies were combined with fixed effects meta-analysis to estimate spontaneous resolution, 95% confidence intervals (CI) of effect size, and heterogeneity.


CONCLUSIONS
Canalith repositioning is more effective than observation alone for the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, despite spontaneous resolution rates of one in three at 3 weeks. Public health implications are discussed, based on the high frequency of unrecognized BPPV reported in elderly patients, and the improvements after canalith repositioning in postural control and health-related quality of life (SF 36 Health Survey) documented in the literature.
White
Judith
J
Section of Vestibular and Balance Disorders, Head and Neck Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. Whitej@ccf.org
Savvides
Panos
P
Cherian
Neil
N
Oas
John
J
D006801:Humans; D011187:Posture; D012665:Semicircular Canals; D014717:Vertigo / Q000534:rehabilitation*