The Importance of Labyrinthine Examination in the Prognosis and Therapy for Balance in Spinocerebellar Ataxia

Abstract

Introduction: Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by the presence of progressive cerebellar ataxia. Objective: Identify vestibular disorders and demonstrate the importance of labyrinthine examination in the prognosis and therapy for balance in patients with SCAs. Materials and Methods: The study had a retrospective cross-sectional design and evaluated 57 patients, mean age of 41.6 years and standard deviation of 13 years. Patients underwent the following procedures: anamnesis, ENT examination and vestibular exam using electronystagmography (ENG). Results: The most frequent complaints were gait imbalance (71.9%), dysarthria (49.1%), dizziness (43.8%) and dysphagia (36.8%). 84.2% of the tests showed alterations. The most common tests with alterations were the caloric test (78.9%), slow saccades (61.4%) and the rotating chair test (49.1%). Conclusion: The clinical history of the patient and oculomotor alterations in the labyrinthine examination provide sufficient information for the proper use of virtual rehabilitation protocols in the treatment of imbalance, making it the most effective therapy method. It was evident that changes in ENG are related to the severity of the SCA or the clinical stage of the disease. The labyrinthine examination proved to be an important concomitant tool to clinical and genetic study.