Vestibular rehabilitation and 6-month follow-up using objective and subjective measures.
CONCLUSIONS
Vestibular rehabilitation improves quality of life by reducing the degree of handicap, improving the ability to perform everyday tasks and providing long-term rehabilitation stability (at 6 months). Recovery of the vestibulo-ocular reflex and the vestibulo-spinal reflex efficiency was proven by the objective results obtained in this study. Vestibular rehabilitation improves both subjective and objective parameters, although no significant correlation between these two indices was found.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the outcome of subjective and objective parameters and long-term rehabilitation stability after vestibular rehabilitation in 43 patients with vestibular disorders.


METHODS
The subjective tests used were the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory and the Activity-specific Balance Confidence scale. The objective tests used were video-oculoscopy, dynamic visual acuity, the Equitest and the Dynamic Gait Index. All indices were evaluated before and after rehabilitation and at follow-up.


RESULTS
All patients showed an improvement in quality of life and a reduction in handicap due to dizziness. Improvement in objective test results was also seen. These results were stable at follow-up. A correlation was found between different subjective measures, but there was no correlation between subjective and objective measures.
Meli
A
A
ENT Rehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Research Institute, Tosinvest Sanità s.pa., Rome, Italy.
Zimatore
G
G
Badaracco
C
C
De Angelis
E
E
Tufarelli
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation*