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Epidemiology of vertigo
1Department of Epidemiology, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany. neuhauserh@rki.de
Current Opinion in Neurology
|January 12, 2007
Summary
Vertigo affects nearly 5% of the population annually. While common, the causes and long-term effects of vertigo and related vestibular disorders remain largely unknown.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology of vestibular disorders
- Neurotology
- Public health
Background:
- Vertigo is a common symptom with significant impact on the population.
- Understanding its epidemiology is crucial for clinical decision-making and identifying causes of vestibular diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of the epidemiology of vertigo.
- To review the epidemiology of four specific vestibular disorders: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), migrainous vertigo, Menière's disease, and vestibular neuritis.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological findings on vertigo and specific vestibular disorders.
- Analysis of neurotologic survey data from the general population.
Main Results:
- 1-year prevalence: vertigo 4.9%, migrainous vertigo 0.89%, BPPV 1.6%.
- BPPV recurrence rates of 50% at 5 years; anxiety-related dizziness persists in nearly a third of vestibular neuritis patients at 1 year.
- Menière's disease prevalence reported at 0.51%, higher than previous estimates.
Conclusions:
- The epidemiology of vertigo and vestibular disorders is an underdeveloped field.
- Recent studies highlight vertigo's population impact, but determinants and outcomes require further investigation.
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