[Vertigo in women in menopausal period]

The aim of the work was an evaluation of vestibular organ as well as static and dynamic balance condition in menopausal women. We have examined 107 women aged 46 to 55 years, 47 among them with complaints of vertigo (Group I), 30 women aged 45 to 50 years with symptoms of menopause diagnosed in Outpatient of Endocrinology Clinic (Group II) and 30 healthy women aged 45-54 (control Group). Blood concentration of sexual hormones (estradiol, LH, FSH, progesterone), sodium and potassium blood level, electronystagmography (ENG), optokinesis, eye tracking test, static and dynamic posturography and radiography of cervical part of vertebral column were applied in each case. The intensification of the symptoms was assessed according to Blatt-Kupperman scale.

There were disturbances of central type in ENG in 70% of the patients from Group I, in 12.7% of the patients from the Group I there were disturbances typical for cervical and (12,7%) positional origin. There were moderate qualitative disturbances in ENG in 50% of the patients from the Group II. No peripheral vestibular lesion as well as no disturbances in optokinesis and eye tracking test were diagnosed in any woman form all the groups. There was significant elevation of stabilogram parameters in the Group I (in comparison to the control Group) in the tests without vision control (static balance) and in all the tests in dynamic posturography. There was significant increase of the velocity of sways to the right and left in the test with eyes closed in the Group II (dynamic posturography). Vertigo in women in menopausal period are not connected with the lesion of the peripheral part of vestibular organ, they are mostly of central origin. Simultaneous posturographic tests reveal worse central co-ordination in vestibular organ, especially after vision control cancellation.