Vertigo as One of the Symptoms of Lyme Disease

The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of vertigo symptoms and potential labyrinth damage in patients with diagnosed Lyme disease (LD). LD can affect the vestibulocochlear nerve, leading to hearing loss and vertigo/dizziness.

The study included a group of 38 patients between the ages of 20 and 77, who were hospitalized due to vertigo/dizziness between 2018 and 2019. All of the patients underwent a detailed medical interview and an otolaryngological and neurological examination, including video electronystagmography (VENG), in addition to audiological and diagnostic tests. Additionally, ELISA and Western blot tests were performed to confirm the diagnosis of LD.

In 20 patients (53%), the Romberg trial was positive (p < 0.001). The degree of vestibular dysfunction as shown by the VENG test was associated with the rate of hearing loss as confirmed by the Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) test (p = 0.011), and it mainly concerned high-frequency sounds (p = 0.014).

Vertigo can be a symptom of LD. It is often associated with labyrinth and hearing-organ damage, which can imply that the inner ear or nerve VIII is dysfunctional in the course of this disease. Antibiotic therapy is effective in reducing otoneurological symptoms.