title: Postural control in older patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of a canalith-repositioning procedure in postural control of older patients with idiopathic benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 9-month follow-up survey with a prospective design was conducted among 33 older patients with BPPV. Patients underwent static posturography (Balance Rehabilitation Unit [BRU]) and were administered the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) before and after the maneuver. After the treatment, they were compared with 33 healthy older subjects. The posturography parameters were the limit of stability (LOS), the center of body-pressure area (COP), and the velocity of oscillation (VOS) under conditions of visual, somatosensory, and visual-vestibular conflict.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One canalith-repositioning procedure relieved most patients' complaints (54.5%), and 100% were relieved with 1 to 3 maneuvers. Total DHI score and all subscales improved after treatment (P < .01). The LOS values pretreatment (mean [SD] 134.27 [55.32] cm(2)) and posttreatment (181.03 [47.79] cm(2)) were significantly different (P < .01). Comparative analysis of COP values showed a relevant statistical difference in 8 of 10 postmaneuver conditions (P < .01). The postmaneuver VOS showed a significant difference under 7 conflict conditions. There were no differences between the healthy older subjects and treated patients for all VOS values under all conditions and for COP values under 9 conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The canalith-repositioning procedure promotes remission of symptoms, an increase in LOS, and improvement in postural control under conditions of somatosensory and visual conflict and visual-vestibular interaction.
authors.affiliation: Master Program of Balance Rehabilitation and Social Inclusion of Bandeirante University of São Paulo, UNIBAN-Brazil, São Paulo, Brazil. cris.kasse@gmail.com
authors.forename: Cristiane Akemi
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kasse
authors.forename: Graziela Gaspar
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: Fátima Cristina Alves
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Branco-Barreiro
authors.forename: Renata Coelho
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Scharlach
authors.forename: Juliana Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gazzola
authors.forename: Fernando Freitas
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Ganança
authors.forename: Flávia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Doná
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*