title: Performance of DHI score as a predictor of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in geriatric patients with dizziness/vertigo: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dizziness/vertigo is one of the most common complaint and handicapping condition among patients aged 65 years and older (Geriatric patients). This study was conducted to assess the impact of dizziness/vertigo on the quality of life in the geriatric patients attending a geriatric outpatient clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed in a geriatric outpatient clinic of a rural teaching tertiary care hospital in central India.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all consecutive geriatric patients with dizziness/vertigo attending geriatric outpatient clinic, DHI questionnaire was applied to assess the impact of dizziness/vertigo and dizziness associated handicap in the three areas of a patients' life: physical, functional and emotional domain. Later, each patient was evaluated and underwent Dix-Hallpike maneuver by the physician who was blind of the DHI scoring of the patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared means and proportions of variables across two categories of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and non-BPPV. For these comparisons we used Student's t-test to test for continuous variables, chi-square test for categorical variables and Fisher's exact test in the case of small cell sizes (expected value<5).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The magnitude of dizziness/vertigo was 3%. Of the 88 dizziness/vertigo patients, 19 (22%) and 69(78%) cases, respectively, were attributed to BPPV and non-BPPV group. The association of DHI score ≥50 with the BPPV was found to be statistically significant with x(2) value = 58.2 at P<0.01.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DHI Score is a useful tool for the prediction of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Correct diagnosis of BPPV is 16 times greater if the DHI Score is greater than or equal to 50. The physical, functional and emotional investigation of dizziness, through the DHI, has demonstrated to be a valuable and useful instrument in the clinical routine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Maharashtra, India. dramrishsaxena@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Amrish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: Manish Chandra
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004244:Dizziness / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010045:Outpatients; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011788:Quality of Life; D012372:ROC Curve; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis*