Menopause and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to examine the age and sex distribution and the effects of menopause in a large cohort of participants diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).


METHODS
We analyzed 1,377 BPPV patients and surveyed 935 women from this group-all diagnosed at the Boys Town National Research Hospital in the last decade.


RESULTS
A detailed age and sex distribution analysis of BPPV onset showed that aging had a profound impact on BPPV occurrence in both sexes, and that perimenopausal women were especially susceptible to BPPV (3.2:1 female-to-male ratio). The latter is a novel finding and was confirmed by a direct survey of female BPPV patients (168 participated). In addition, there was a pronounced female preponderance (6.8:1 female-to-male ratio) in BPPV in the teenage group despite its low prevalence in this age group.


CONCLUSIONS
Data suggest that hormonal fluctuations (especially during menopause) may increase the tendency to develop BPPV.
From the 1Boys Town National Research Hospital, Omaha, NE; and 2Department of Otolaryngology, County Hospital, Krems, Austria.
Oluwaseye Ayoola
OA
Ogun
Bela
B
Büki
Edward S
ES
Cohn
Kristen L
KL
Janky
Yunxia Wang
YW
Lundberg
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D009329:Nebraska / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors