title: Clinical and functional aspects of body balance in elderly subjects with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
abstract: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) may compromise the balance of elderly subjects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of the Epley maneuver in elderly subjects with BPPV and assess clinical and functional aspects of body balance.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective clinical study. Patients diagnosed with BPPV (Dix-Hallpike test) were submitted to the Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, the Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (CTSIB), and lower limb testing before and after they were repositioned using the modified Epley maneuver.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most subjects were females, and the group's mean age was 70.10 years (SD = 7.00). All patients had canalithiasis of the posterior canal. The following symptoms improved after the maneuver: postural instability (p = 0.006), nausea and vomiting (p = 0.021), and tinnitus (p = 0.003). Subjects improved their times significantly in the TUG and lower limb tests after the Epley maneuver (p < 0.001). Patients performed better on the CTSIB after the Epley maneuver on condition 2 (p < 0.003), condition 3 (p < 0.001), condition 4 (p < 0.001), condition 5 (p < 0.001), and condition 6 (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical and functional aspects of body balance in elderly with BPPV improved after treatment with the modified Epley maneuver.
authors.affiliation: Imaging graduate program at FAMESP, Método College of São Paulo, Brazil. danyanato@gmail.com
authors.forename: Daniela Patricia
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.forename: Juliana Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gazzola
authors.forename: Solange Martiliano
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lança
authors.forename: Ricardo Schaffeln
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Dorigueto
authors.forename: Cristiane Akemi
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kasse
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy