title: Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Secondary to Mild Head Trauma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the clinical characteristics, nystagmographic findings, and treatment outcome of a group of patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) secondary to mild head trauma and compared them with a group of patients with idiopathic BPPV.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of 33 patients with BPPV associated with mild head trauma were reviewed. Data of a complete otolaryngological, audiological, neurotologic, and imaging evaluation were available for all patients. Three hundred and twenty patients with idiopathic BPPV were used as a control group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with BPPV secondary to mild head trauma presented the following features, in which they differed from the patients with idiopathic BPPV: (1) lower mean age, with more intense symptoms; (2) increased rate of horizontal and anterior semicircular canal involvement and frequent multiple canal and bilateral involvement; (3) greater incidence of canal paresis and presence of spontaneous nystagmus; (4) poorer treatment results, attributed mainly to coexisting canal paresis in many patients, and higher rate of recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo associated with mild head trauma differs from idiopathic BPPV in terms of several epidemiological and clinical features; it responds less effectively to treatment and is prone to recurrence.
authors: ENT Department, Tzanion General Hospital, Pireaus, Greece dbalats@hotmail.com.
authors: Dimitrios G
authors: DG
authors: Balatsouras
authors: ENT Department, Tzanion General Hospital, Pireaus, Greece.
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Koukoutsis
authors: ENT Department, Nicosia General Hospital, Nicosia, Cyprus.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Aspris
authors: ENT Department, Tzanion General Hospital, Pireaus, Greece.
authors: Alexandros
authors: A
authors: Fassolis
authors: ENT Department, Tzanion General Hospital, Pireaus, Greece.
authors: Antonis
authors: A
authors: Moukos
authors: ENT Department, General Hospital Asklepieio Voulas, Voula, Greece.
authors: Nicolas C
authors: NC
authors: Economou
authors: ENT Department, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Katotomichelakis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo / Q000209:etiology*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000503:physiopathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo; canalith repositioning procedure; head trauma; hearing loss; nystagmography; vertigo