Chronic symptoms in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the full spectrum of self-reported chronic symptoms in patients with unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH) and to investigate the effect of interventions on these symptoms.MethodsA systematic review was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Statement (PRISMA). A literature search was performed in Pubmed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus to investigate self-reported symptoms and self-report questionnaires in patients with UVH. All original studies ranging from full-text clinical trials to case reports, written in English, German, and French, were included. The frequency of self-reported symptoms was presented. For self-report questionnaires, a meta-analysis was carried out to synthesize scale means by the pre- and post-intervention means and mean changes for studies that investigated interventions.ResultsA total of 2,110 studies were retrieved. Forty-seven studies were included after title-abstract selection and full-text selection by two independent reviewers. The symptoms of UVH patients included chronic dizziness (98%), imbalance (81%), symptoms worsened by head movements (75%), visually induced dizziness (61%), symptoms worsened in darkness (51%), and oscillopsia (22%). Additionally, UVH could be accompanied by recurrent vertigo (77%), tiredness (68%), cognitive symptoms (58%), and autonomic symptoms (46%). Regarding self-report questionnaires, UVH resulted on average in a moderate handicap, with an estimated mean total score on the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the Vertigo Symptom Scale (VSS) of 46.31 (95% CI: 41.17–51.44) and 15.50 (95% CI: 12.59–18.41), respectively. In studies that investigated the effect of vestibular intervention, a significant decrease in the estimated mean total DHI scores from 51.79 (95% CI: 46.61–56.97) (pre-intervention) to 27.39 (95% CI: 23.16–31.62) (post intervention) was found (p < 0.0001). In three studies, the estimated mean total Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores were 7.05 (95% CI, 5.64–8.46) (pre-intervention) and 2.56 (95% CI, 1.15–3.97) (post-intervention). Finally, a subgroup of patients (≥32%) persists with at least a moderate handicap, despite vestibular rehabilitation.ConclusionA spectrum of symptoms is associated with UVH, of which chronic dizziness and imbalance are most frequently reported. However, semi-structured interviews should be conducted to define the whole spectrum of UVH symptoms more precisely, in order to establish a validated patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for UVH patients. Furthermore, vestibular interventions can significantly decrease self-reported handicap, although this is insufficient for a subgroup of patients. It could therefore be considered for this subgroup of patients to explore new intervention strategies like vibrotactile feedback or the vestibular implant.Systematic review registration[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/], identifier [CRD42023389185].

Practical tips by peer support in chronic vestibular hypofunction: an exploratory survey

“…For example, participants mentioned that maintaining a daily routine, managing energy levels and being cognitively flexible were key to dealing with symptoms and the consequences of compensation. Overall, the constructed domains of tips and the situations described were comparable to symptoms cited by patients in previous research, showing the analogy of these results in this specific patient population ( 2 , 3 ). It is interesting to point out that the relative easiness with which patients translate their symptomatology into tips, appears to be in contrast with the traditional way of history taking which is often challenging and time consuming for both patients and health care provides.…”

“…They also feel misunderstood when bystanders perceive their unsteady gait as drunkenness or others trivialize the impact of the vestibular hypofunction on general fatigue ( 2 ). Although bilateral vestibulopathy might be considered as the most severe variant, 29–66% of patients suffering from unilateral vestibulopathy experience chronic vestibular symptoms of which dizziness and imbalance are most frequently reported ( 3 ). When symptoms persist despite vestibular rehabilitation, patients seek help and advice to deal with the chronic consequences of their condition.…”

“…Vestibular hypofunction is mainly characterized by dizziness, imbalance (unilateral hypofunction) and oscillopsia (bilateral hypofunction) for more than 3 months. The condition can be life changing since patients experience a variety of mental and physical symptoms which interfere with daily activities as well as social life (1)(2)(3). For example, due to impaired vestibular function, these patients can experience difficulties in walking or cycling and are tired more quickly.…”

Fear avoidance beliefs, anxiety, and depression in healthy individuals and persons with vestibular disorders across cultures

“…With a prevalence ranging between 2.8 and 6.5% across cultures, vestibular disorders are common across the world (1,2). Dizziness is a well-known symptom of vestibular disorders and can have a detrimental impact on functioning during daily life (3). Moreover, dizziness often leads to frequent consultations with healthcare providers (4).…”