Significance of subtype-determining questionnaire in efficient diagnosis and treatment of BPPV

Abstract

Background

Rapid recognition of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) matters in many ways, questionnaires evolve as a new alternative for diagnosis. A subtype-determining questionnaire is a more advanced but rarely studied type.

Objective

To explore the practicability of a subtype-determining questionnaire in facilitating diagnosis and treatment of BPPV.

Methods

A BPPV subtype-determining questionnaire was applied to vertiginous patients. All patients underwent the positional test, performed by one technician, who was either informed or uninformed about questionnaire results randomly. In the informed group, the technician checked the canal indicated by the questionnaire straightforwardly; in the uninformed group, she performed the conventional positional test. Diagnostic parameters of the questionnaire and disparities between the 2 groups were investigated.

Results

The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity of question 1–3 for diagnosing BPPV is 74.4%, 90.9%, 66.6% respectively. Question 4 shows an accuracy of 80.7% in determining BPPV subtype, question 5 yields an accuracy of 78.7% in ascertaining the affected side, question 6 exhibits an accuracy of 87.2% in deciding canalithiasis or cupulolithiasis. Both examination and treatment time were shorter in the informed group (p < .05).

Conclusion

This subtype-determining questionnaire has appealing diagnostic ability. It provides valuable information that’s conducive to fast diagnosis and efficient treatment of BPPV.

Chinese Abstract

背景：快速识别良性阵发性位置性眩晕 (BPPV) 在很多方面都很重要, 调查问卷发展成为一种新的诊断方法。 确定亚型的调查问卷是一种更先进但很少研究的类型。

目的：探讨亚型确定问卷对于辅助BPPV诊断和治疗的实用性。

方法：将BPPV亚型确定问卷应用于眩晕患者。 所有患者接受了由一名技术人员执行的位置测试, 这位技术人员对随机问卷结果知情或不知情。 知情组技术人员直接检查了问卷所指的耳道； 在不知情组中, 她进行了常规体位测试。调查了问卷诊断参数及两组间的差异。

结果：诊断 BPPV 的问题 1-3的准确性、敏感性、特异性分别为 74.4%、90.9%、66.6%。 问题 4 表明确定 BPPV 亚型的准确率为 80.7%, 问题 5确定患侧的准确率为 78.7%, 问题 6 在决定耳道结石病或耳顶结石病的准确率为 87.2%。 知情组的检查和治疗时间均较短(p < .05)。

结论：该亚型确定问卷具有良好的诊断能力, 为BPPV的快速诊断和高效治疗提供了有价值的信息。

Keywords:

• Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)
• questionnaire
• diagnosis
• treatment

Acknowledgement

This study has been approved by the ethical committee in our hospital, and all procedures performed in this study were with the ethical standards of the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).