Vestibular neuritis: Evaluation and effect of vestibular rehabilitation

Vestibular neuritis (VN) is a caloric vestibular areflexia that occurs suddenly, and whose compensation can take several weeks, sometimes several months. Usually these patients are rehabilitated, but the most affected patients (cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) absent) have a worse prognosis of vestibulo-ocular compensation. Thanks to symptomatic, videographic and posturographic evaluation tools, we objectify and quantify which factors influence the recovery or more accurately the compensation of this type of disorder. EQUIPMENT AND METHOD: We have colligated 34 observations of VN whose beginning could be precisely dated. These 34 unilateral caloric areflexic patients had a symptomatic evaluation (SE) with scales (vertigo symptom scale, dizziness handicap inventory, short form 36), an evaluation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) (spontaneous nystagmus, head shaking test, mastoid bone skull vibration test, and finally an evaluation of the vestibulo-spinal function (VSF) on a dynamic posturography platform (DPY). On the other hand were evaluated eight elements supposed to influence (influence factors FI) the care and/or the outcome of the treatment (age, cVEMP absent, duration of deficiency, sports and walk practice, rehabilitation of VOR, rehabilitation of VSF, waiting period before application of rehabilitation, vertigo medications treatment).

By comparing averages and with a Fischer's exact test, we can show here that the medical treatment, the waiting period before the application of the rehabilitation, the number of rehabilitation sessions or the type of rehabilitation influence only partially the state of health of neuritis. The age of the patients and absent cVEMP don't have a major influence either. However, patients with the most important physical activity feel better from a symptomatic point of view, over a long period after the episode. The effect of rehabilitation might be temporary if daily activity is minimal.

The evaluation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex has long remained the main element for the evaluation of the state of health of vestibular neuritis. But if you use in addition posturography and symptomatic scales to assess the state of health, the neuritis considered to be compensated with the VOR will not always be symptomatically compensated. Estimating the functional recovery of neuritis can't be limited to estimating or quantifying the VOR. Rehabilitating neuritis can't be limited to rehabilitating the VOR. Finally we show here that physical activity is probably more necessary than any type of rehabilitation.