title: The Effect of Intravenous Dexamethasone on the Nausea Accompanying Vestibular Neuritis: A Preliminary Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We undertook a preliminary assessment of the efficacy of administering intravenous dexamethasone (DEX) for relieving the nausea and dizziness accompanying vestibular neuritis (VN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2013 and October 2014, 26 patients with VN were prospectively enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly assigned to treatment with a combination of 20 mg/d of intravenous metoclopramide, 100 mg of oral dimenhydrinate, and 5 mg/d of intravenous DEX or 20 mg/d of intravenous metoclopramide, 100 mg of oral dimenhydrinate, and intravenous normal saline as a placebo therapy. Patients' subjective assessments of the severity of their nausea and dizziness were recorded using a visual analog scale on the day of admission and 2 days, 3 days, 1 month, and 3 months thereafter. Bedside examinations consisted of spontaneous nystagmus (SPN) assessment, the head shaking nystagmus test, and the head impulse test, which were performed at every follow-up visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severity of nausea and dizziness was significantly reduced over time (both P < 0.05). However, there was no significant effect of DEX injection on the severity of nausea or dizziness (P > 0.05). The presence of SPN was solely associated with nausea (hazard ratio = 3.34; 95% CI, 1.85-6.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The administration of intravenous DEX did not relieve nausea or dizziness any better than a placebo treatment. However, further research is required to confirm whether there is a dose-dependent effect of DEX on the control of nausea or dizziness in VN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eulji University Medical Center, Eulji University, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Chan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eulji University Medical Center, Eulji University, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Wang Woon
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eulji University Medical Center, Eulji University, Daejeon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Sik
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eulji University Medical Center, Eulji University, Daejeon, South Korea. Electronic address: hoyun1004@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ho Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020338:Vestibular Neuronitis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D008787:Metoclopramide
keywords: dexamethasone; dizziness; nausea; vestibular neuritis