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Nonspecific vertigo with normal otoneurological examination. The role of vestibular laboratory tests

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Carlos R. Gordon ,
Avi Shupak ,
Orna Spitzer ,
Ilana Doweck  and
Yehuda Melamed
Carlos R. Gordon*
Affiliation:
Motion Sickness and Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medicine Institute, Haifa. The Department of Neurology, Meir General Hospital Kfar Saba, and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
Avi Shupak
Affiliation:
Motion Sickness and Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medicine Institute, Haifa. The Department of OtolaryngolgoyCarmel Lady Davis Hospital, Haifa, Israel
Orna Spitzer
Affiliation:
Motion Sickness and Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medicine Institute, Haifa.
Ilana Doweck
Affiliation:
Motion Sickness and Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medicine Institute, Haifa. The Department of OtolaryngolgoyCarmel Lady Davis Hospital, Haifa, Israel
Yehuda Melamed
Affiliation:
Motion Sickness and Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medicine Institute, Haifa.
*
Address for correspondence: Carlos R. Gordon, M.D., Motion Sickness and Human Performance Laboratory, Israel Naval Medical Institute, P.O. Box 8040, 31 080 Haifa, Israel. Fax: 972-4-8693240, 8693258
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Abstract

Vestibular larobatory tests are not general necessary in the diagnosis of patients with a clear description of vertigo accompanied by positive otoneurological examination findings. The purpose of the study was to inverstigate the role of conventional vestibular laboratory tests in the diagnosis of patients compaining of hnonspecific vertigo, despite their having a documented normal otoneurological examination. The results patients referred for ambulatory vestibular laroratory testes due to a nonspecific illusion of movement, but with nornal otoneurological examination, were reviewed. Abnormalities were found in the vestibular tests of 35 patients (67 per cent), 22 of whom (63 per cent) were finally diagnosed as having a unilateral perpheral vestibular lesion, and 13(37 per cent) benign positional vertigo. These results suggests that a high percentage of patients with nonspecific vertigo and a normal otoneurologica examination probably suffer from peripheral vestibular dusfunction, which can be objectively documented by the ENG and SHA tests.

Keywords

VertigoVestibular function testsVestibular disease
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 110 , Issue 12 , December 1996 , pp. 1133 - 1137
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1996

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