scholarly journals Upright BPPV Protocol: Feasibility of a New Diagnostic Paradigm for Lateral Semicircular Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Compared to Standard Diagnostic Maneuvers

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Martellucci ◽  
Pasquale Malara ◽  
Andrea Castellucci ◽  
Rudi Pecci ◽  
Beatrice Giannoni ◽  
...  

Background: The diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) involving the lateral semicircular canal (LSC) is traditionally entrusted to the supine head roll test, also known as supine head yaw test (SHYT), which usually allows identification of the pathologic side and BPPV form (geotropic vs. apogeotropic). Nevertheless, SHYT may not always allow easy detection of the affected canal, resulting in similar responses on both sides and intense autonomic symptoms in patients with recent onset of vertigo. The newly introduced upright head roll test (UHRT) represents a diagnostic maneuver for LSC-BPPV, supplementing the already-known head pitch test (HPT) in the sitting position. The combination of these two tests should enable clinicians to determine the precise location of debris within LSC, avoiding disturbing symptoms related to supine positionings. Therefore, we proposed the upright BPPV protocol (UBP), a test battery exclusively performed in the upright position, including the evaluation of pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus (PSN), HPT and UHRT. The purpose of this multicenter study is to determine the feasibility of UBP in the diagnosis of LSC-BPPV.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 134 consecutive patients diagnosed with LSC-BPPV. All of them received both UBP and the complete diagnostic protocol (CDP), including the evaluation of PSN and data resulting from HPT, UHRT, seated-supine positioning test (SSPT), and SHYT.Results: A correct diagnosis for LSC-BPPV was achieved in 95.5% of cases using exclusively the UBP, with a highly significant concordance with the CDP (p < 0.000, Cohen's kappa = 0.94), regardless of the time elapsed from symptom onset to diagnosis. The concordance between UBP and CDP was not impaired even when cases in which HPT and/or UHRT provided incomplete results were included (p < 0.000). Correct diagnosis using the supine diagnostic protocol (SDP, including SSPT + SHYT) or the sole SHYT was achieved in 85.1% of cases, with similar statistical concordance (p < 0.000) and weaker strength of relationship (Cohen's kappa = 0.80).Conclusion: UBP allows correct diagnosis in LSC-BPPV from the sitting position in most cases, sparing the patient supine positionings and related symptoms. UBP could also allow clinicians to proceed directly with repositioning maneuvers from the upright position.

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. e0242580
Author(s):  
Hyun-Jin Lee ◽  
Seong Ki Ahn ◽  
Chae Dong Yim ◽  
Dae Hwan Kim ◽  
Dong Gu Hur

Objectives We investigated the incidence and characteristics of pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus (PSN) in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving the lateral semicircular canal (LC-BPPV) and evaluated the correlation between PSN and the bow and lean test. Methods We examined nystagmus in the sitting position using video-oculography goggles in 131 LC-BPPV patients. The positioning test and bow and lean test were also performed. Patients were divided into canalolithiasis and cupulolithiasis groups according to the character of nystagmus. In each group, the incidence and direction of PSN, correlation with the bow and lean test, and treatment outcome were analyzed. Results PSN was observed in 25 cases (19.1%) in LC-BPPV patients, 7 of which were canalolithiasis and 18 of which were cupulolithiasis (p = 0.098). Of the 25 patients with PSN, 21 (84%) exhibited nystagmus consistent with the lean test whereas 4 (16%) exhibited nystagmus consistent with the bow test. In patients with PSN, nystagmus was observed in the bow and lean test in all cases (23/23), but in patients without PSN, no nystagmus was observed in 13 cases (13/87) in the bow and lean test (p = 0.048). The number of barbecue maneuvers performed until the end of treatment was 1.4 ± 0.7 in patients with PSN and 1.4 ± 0.9 in those without PSN (p = 0.976). Conclusion We identified PSN in patients with LC-BPPV irrelevant of subtype. Moreover, all patients with PSN showed nystagmus in the bow and lean test. The direction of PSN was mostly consistent with that of the lean test (21/25, 84%). The presence of PSN was not related to the treatment outcome in this study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasquale Malara ◽  
Andrea Castellucci ◽  
Salvatore Martellucci

Diagnosing the affected side in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) involving the Lateral Semicircular Canal (LSC) is often challenging and uncomfortable in patients with recent onset of vertigo and intense autonomic symptoms. The Minimum Stimulus Strategy (MSS) aims to diagnose side and canal involved by BPPV causing as little discomfort as possible to the patient. The strategy applied for LSC-BPPV includes the evaluation of pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus and oculomotor responses to the Head Pitch Test (HPT) in upright position, to the seated-supine test and to the Head Yaw Test (HYT) while supine. Matching data obtained by these tests enables clinicians to diagnose the affected side in LSC-BPPV. The purpose of this preliminary study is to propose a new diagnostic test for LSC-BPPV complimentary to the HPT, the Upright Head Roll Test (UHRT), to easily determine the affected ear and the involved arm in the sitting position and to evaluate its efficiency. Our results suggest that the UHRT can increase the sensitivity of the MSS without resorting to the HYT, thus reducing patient’s discomfort.


2005 ◽  
Vol 133 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A. White ◽  
Kathleen D. Coale ◽  
Peter J. Catalano ◽  
John G. Oas

Objective: Describe the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of a group of 20 patients with lateral semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (LSC-BPPV). Study Design and Setting: Retrospective review of 20 patients with LSC-BPPV (10 with geotropic and 10 with apogeotropic nystagmus) presenting to a tertiary balance center. Diagnosis was confirmed with infrared nystagmography in Dix-Hallpike positioning tests and supine positional tests. Patients were treated with one or more particle repositioning maneuvers. Results: Addition of supine positional nystagmus tests to Dix-Hallpike positioning testing improves sensitivity in the diagnosis of LSC-BPPV. Treatment outcomes in the apogeotropic LSC-BPPV group were poorer than the geotropic LSC-BPPV group. Significance: Adding supine positional testing to routine vestibular diagnostic testing will increase the identification of LSC-BPPV. Apogeotropic LSC-BPPV is more challenging to treat.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 520-526
Author(s):  
V. Marcelli

L’obiettivo è stato valutare bed side l’intensità e la direzione del nistagmo (NID) nelle due differenti posizioni del “bow and lean test” (BLT) per differenziare la forma geotropa dalla forma apogeotropa e determinare il lato affetto in caso di vertigine parossistica da posizionamento benigna idiopatica da litiasi a carico del canale semicircolare laterale (LSC-BPPV), prima ancora di utilizzare le classiche manovre diagnostiche. Sono stati esaminati 32 soggetti affetti da LSC-BPPV, in ognuno dei quali sono state valutate l’intensità e la direzione del nistagmo nelle due posizioni del BLT. L’intensità del nistagmo consente di differenziare la forma geotropa della forma apogeotropa mentre la direzione del nistagmo consente di indentificare il lato affetto. Per le noti legge che governano la fisiopatologia del CSL, un nistagmo più intenso in flessione del capo (bow) rispetto all’estensione (lean) indica un flusso ampullipeto e quindi la presenza di materiale flottante nel braccio non ampollare, tipico della forma geotropa. In tal caso, se il nistagmo in flessione (bow) è diretto a sinistra, il materiale flottante deve necessariamente occupare il braccio non ampollare del CSL sinistro; viceversa se il nistagmo in flessione è diretto a destra. D’altro canto, un nistagmo più intenso in estensione del capo (lean) rispetto alla flessione (bow) indica un flusso ampullifugo e quindi la presenza di materiale aderente alla cupola (cupololitiasi) o flottante nel braccio ampollare (canalolitiasi), tipico della forma apogeotropa. In tal caso, se il nistagmo in estensione (lean) è diretto a sinistra, il materiale flottante deve necessariamente occupare il braccio ampollare del CSL sinistro; viceversa se il nistagmo in estensione è diretto a destra. Come regola generale, in entrambe le forme la direzione del nistagmo con maggiore intensità indica il lato affetto. Il “NID-BLT” è risultato efficace nell’identificare la forma ed il lato affetto in ventidue soggetti su ventotto (79% del campione). In caso di LSC-BPPV, la corretta esecuzione ed interpretazione del “NID-BLT” fornisce un importante aiuto nello stabilire la forma (geotropa versus apogeotropa) e la sede (destra versus sinistra) nella maggior parte dei pazienti, prima ancora di utilizzare le classiche manovre diagnostiche. A differenza del test di Choung, che richiede di conoscere a priori se il paziente ha una forma geotropa o apogeotropa, il nostro test consente di formulare direttamente la diagnosi o di fornire elementi indispensabili nei casi in cui la diagnosi di lato è dubbia, mentre il paziente è ancora in posizione seduta.


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