Clinical characteristics and otolith dysfunction in presbyvestibulopathy: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis

The Bárány Society recently established diagnostic criteria for presbyvestibulopathy, an age-related bilateral vestibular impairments in older individuals. Drawing upon a cross-sectional database, this study delves into the demographic and clinical features of presbyvestibulopathy patients and investigates the implications of otolith dysfunction.

The study retrospectively analyzed 1218 patients aged 60 years or older who visited the tertiary dizziness clinic in 2020, due to symptoms of dizziness or instability. By reviewing medical records, we gathered clinical information and laboratory vestibular test results, such as cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials, and subjective visual vertical.

Out of 1218 patients aged 60 and above who reported dizziness or unsteadiness, 33 patients (2.7 %, with an average age of 74.2 ± 9.2 years) were diagnosed with presbyvestibulopathy. Deficiencies in horizontal angular vestibulo-ocular reflex were found in caloric tests (75 %), video head impulse tests (51.7 %), and rotatory chair tests (47.8 %), respectively. Otolith dysfunction was also observed, as shown by abnormal ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in 62.96 % and 51.85 % of patients, and abnormal subjective visual vertical in 45.8 % of the cases.

Among elderly patients experiencing consistent dizziness or instability, the incidence of presbyvestibulopathy was approximately 2.7 % over one year. Alongside the abnormalities detected in the horizontal angular vestibulo-ocular reflex, significant changes were also noted in the ocular and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials, as well as in the subjective visual vertical tests. As a result, it's vital to underscore the significance of both otolithic function and vestibulo-ocular reflex in the fundamental mechanisms of presbyvestibulopathy.