Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) posturography in Menière's disease.
Posturography has been used in the evaluation of patients with vestibular disorders.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate balance control with the Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) posturography in patients with Menière's disease.


METHODS
Prospective case-control.


METHODS
30 patients diagnosed with Menière's disease and a control group consisting of 40 healthy matching individuals in relation to age and gender, were submitted to a balance function evaluation by means of a Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) posturography.


RESULTS
Comparing patients with Menière's disease and the control group, we found significant differences between the values of the sway speed in the static force plate, down optokinetic stimulation (p=0.038) and horizontal visual vestibular interaction (p=0.049); and of the ellipse area in the static force plate, eyes closed (p=0.001); left optokinetic stimulation (p=0.007); down optokinetic stimulation (p=0.003); horizontal visual vestibular interaction (p=0.003); and vertical visual vestibular interaction (p=0.028).


CONCLUSIONS
The postural control assessment with the Balance Rehabilitation Unit (BRU) posturography enables the identification of sway speed and ellipse area abnormalities in patients with Menière's disease.
Graduate Program in Human Communication Disorders - Federal University of São Paulo - Paulista School of Medicine.
Flavia Salvaterra
FS
Cusin
Maurício Malavasi
MM
Ganança
Fernando Freitas
FF
Ganança
Cristina Freitas
CF
Ganança
Heloisa Helena
HH
Caovilla
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance; D011187:Posture; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests / Q000379:methods