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.

The BPPV associated with Meniere's disease differs from idiopathic BPPV in regard to several epidemiological and clinical features, may follow a different course, and responds less effectively to treatment.

The aim of this study was to present the demographic, pathogenetic and clinical features of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) secondary to vestibular neuritis (VN). The medical records of 22 patients, who presented with BPPV within 12 weeks after the onset of VN, were reviewed. Data of a complete otolaryngological, audiological, neurotologic and imaging evaluation were available for all patients. Two hundred and eighty-four patients with idiopathic BPPV were used as a control group. The patients with BPPV secondary to VN presented the following features, in which they differed from the patients with idiopathic BPPV: (1) a lower mean age; (2) involvement of the posterior semicircular canal; (3) presence of canal weakness; (4) more therapeutic sessions needed for cure and a higher rate of recurrence. It may be, thus, concluded that BPPV associated with VN differs from idiopathic BPPV in regard to several epidemiological and clinical features, it responds less effectively to treatment and may follow a protracted course, having a tendency for recurrence.

This study evaluated the effects of end stage chronic renal failure (CRF) on auditory function and changes in auditory function following a single session of hemodialysis. The experimental group included 31 patients with end-stage renal failure on chronic hemodialysis. The control group consisted of 31 healthy volunteers. The patients were examined prior to and following a session of hemodialysis. Measurements included pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflex measurements, auditory brainstem responses (ABR), and blood now chemistry parameters. Controls underwent the same test battery, with the exception of biochemical and hematological assessment. Prior to hemodialysis sessions, all ABR latencies except interpeak latency I-III were significantly prolonged in the experimental group. A comparison between controls and the experimental group following hemodialysis indicated that wave V absolute latency and interpeak latencies III-V and I-V were significantly prolonged in the slow repetition rate paradigm. In the fast repetition rate, absolute latencies of waves I and V and III-V interpeak latencies were prolonged in the experimental group. Comparison of ABR recordings prior to and following hemodialysis showed overall significant difference between the measures. Post hoc analysis showed a significant improvement in wave I and V latencies in the slow repetition rate and wave V latency in the fast repetition rate. This study showed that neural conduction along the auditory pathway is delayed in patients with end stage CRF as compared to healthy subjects. Dialysis sessions improve overall neural auditory function. However, patients with end stage CRF show delayed conduction even after a session of hemodialysis.

Mutations in the GJB2 (Connexin 26) gene are responsible for more than half of all cases of prelingual, recessive, inherited, nonsyndromic deafness in Europe. This paper presents a mutation analysis of the GJB2 and GJB6 (Connexin 30) genes in 30 Greek Cypriot patients with sensorineural nonsyndromic hearing loss compatible with recessive inheritance. Ten of the patients (33.3%) had the 35delG mutation in the GJB2 gene. Moreover, 9 of these were homozygous for the 35delG mutation, whereas 1 patient was in the compound heterozygous state with the disease causing E47X nonsense mutation. Another patient with severe sensorineural hearing loss was heterozygous for the V153I missense mutation. Finally, no GJB6 mutations or the known del(GJB6-D13S1830) were identified in any of the investigated Greek Cypriot nonsyndromic hearing loss patients. This work confirms that the GJB2 35delG mutation is an important pathogenic mutation for hearing loss in the Greek Cypriot population. This finding will be used toward the effective diagnosis of nonsyndromic hearing loss, improve genetic counseling, and serve as a potential therapeutic platform in the future for the affected patients in Cyprus.