title: [The importance of estimation of the quality of life in the patients with vestibular disorders].
abstract: The objective of the present study was to develop and introduce into clinical practice the method for the estimation of the quality of life in the patients with vestibular disorders as a measure of the efficacy of their treatment and as a diagnostic criterion to be used in regular medical examinations. Sixty eight patients presenting with total cochleovestibular syndrome were interviewed for the elucidation their quality of life using the questionnaire specially developed by the researchers of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, I.I. Mechnikov Sankt-Peterburg State Medical Academy, in accordance with the internationally accepted guidelines. Special attention was given to the determination of significant changes indicative of the severity of the pathological process at different periods of time. It is concluded that the questionnaire designed to estimate the quality of life of the patients provides an efficacious diagnostic tool for the estimation of the health status of the subjects with vestibular dysfunction that reflects the patient's self-assessment. Such information is impossible to obtain by objective diagnostic methods, such as computed videooculography.
authors.forename: I G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Babenkova
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests / Q000379:methods