title: Vestibular disorders in Bell's palsy: A prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To ascertain the prevalence of vestibular abnormalities in individuals with Bell's palsy (BP) compared with a normal population and to correlate these findings with clinical evolution.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study involving 120 individuals submitted to computerized vector-electronystagmography (VENG) was conducted. The sample included 60 BP patients and 60 control subjects, matched for gender and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five percent of the Bell's palsy patients had results consistent with deficient peripheral vestibular syndrome. All exams were normal in the control group (p< 0.001). No relationship between vestibular abnormalities and degree of palsy improvement was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with Bell's palsy exhibited 25% vestibular abnormalities on vector- electronystagmography exams. Vestibular abnormalities were more frequent in patients with BP compared to normal control individuals. No relationship between vestibular abnormalities and degree of palsy improvement was observed.
authors.forename: M Alcantara de Oliveira
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: M Ferreira
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Vianna
authors.forename: L Kazuko
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Nishino
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Lazarini
mesh_terms: D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004584:Electronystagmography; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*