title: Recurrence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the recurrence rate of benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV) and the factors associated to such recurrences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine consecutive patients treated for first episode of BPPV.
  
  
  METHODS
  63 months. Mean follow-up: 47 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recurrence rate was 27%. Fifty percent of recurrences occurred in the first 6 months. Nineteen patients had 1 or more recurrence of BPPV; 10 had 1 recurrence, 7 patients had 2, and 2 patients had 3 recurrences. There was no significant difference in the recurrence rate according to sex, age, side, cause of BPPV, or instability after successful treatment. Multi-canal BPPV (log-rank, p = 0.024) and anterior canal BPPV (log-rank, p = 0.029) showed a significantly greater tendency to recur and to do so earlier. There was a significant difference in time to recurrence related to the number of maneuvers used to resolve the initial BPPV episode (log-rank, p = 0.023). Except for cases of BPPV secondary to labyrinthitis or neurolabyrinthitis, at least 70% of the recurrences affected a different side and/or different canal than the primary BPPV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The recurrence rate of BPPV is 27%, and relapse largely occurs in the first 6 months. When BPPV recurrence is suspected, every canal on both sides must be investigated because it is the BPPV syndrome that recurs, rather than BPPV affecting a particular side or canal. Complex cases of BPPV have a greater risk of recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Otoneurology Unit, Hospital de Cabueñes, Gijón, Spain. paz.perez@sespa.princast.es
authors.forename: Paz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Paz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aldama
authors.forename: María Jesús
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Méndez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology