Efficacy of a home-based exercise program on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo compared with betahistine.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of a home-based exercise program by comparing it with betahistine in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, controlled study.


METHODS
Outpatient clinic of a university hospital.


METHODS
Thirty-eight patients (10 males, 28 females; mean age 46 +/- 13 years) diagnosed as having BPPV.


METHODS
Patients were randomly assigned to either an exercise or a medication group. In the medication group, betahistine was prescribed at 24 mg/d for 1 month. The exercise group was required to perform Cawthorne-Cooksey exercises six times/day for 4 weeks.


METHODS
The Vertigo, Dizziness, Imbalance Questionnaire (VDI), which consists of two subscales, the VDI symptom subscale (VDI-ss) and the VDI health-related quality of life (VDI-HRQoL) subscale, and the Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS) were used for assessment at the beginning of the study and after 2 months.


RESULTS
The mean scores of the two components of the VDI and the VSS decreased in the exercise group by the fourth week. In the medication group, VSI mean scores, VDIss mean scores, and VSS mean scores decreased in the second week and VDI-HRQoL mean scores decreased in the fourth week. However, there were no significant differences between baseline and week 8. There were significant differences between groups regarding the change in the mean scores of the VDI (p = .001) and the VSS (p = .001) at the end of the study in favour of the exercise group.


CONCLUSIONS
Exercise was found to be a better treatment choice than medication and may be preferable for patients with persistent or chronic vertigo.
Kulcu
Duygu Geler
DG
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yeditepe University Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Yanik
Burcu
B
Boynukalin
Serife
S
Kurtais
Yesim
Y
D001621:Betahistine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006633:Histamine Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D010045:Outpatients; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
D006633:Histamine Antagonists; D001621:Betahistine