Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Dizziness According to the Level of Dizziness-related Disability

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with dizziness according to the level of dizziness-related disability. Methods: Vestibular system evaluation forms of the patients who applied to the otolaryngology outpatient clinic between June 2018 and January 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Ninety patients with dizziness complaints were included in the study. These patients were divided into 3 groups as mild disability, middle disability and severe disability according to the Dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Demographic characteristics, comorbidity, smoking and alcohol use, motion sickness, duration of dizziness, type of dizziness and vestibular test results (Fukuda test, tandem stance test, tandem walking test, positional tests, head impulse test (HIT), head shake test, caloric test, gaze test, oculomotor tests and spontaneous nystagmus test) were evaluated according to the level of dizziness-related disability. Results: Twenty-one of the patients were male (21.3%), 69 (78.7%) were female and the mean age was 40.54 +/- 12.91; (range 15-73). Patients with cervical disc herniation, motion scikness, abnormal HIT, abnormal tandem stance test and prolonged dizziness had more severe dizziness-related disability level (p<0.05). There was also a mild positive relationship between age and functional disability (p<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with motion sickness, cervical disc herniation, prolonged dizziness, abnormal tandem posture test and abnormal HIT have a more severe disability. These factors should be considered in dizziness therapies applied to decrease vestibular symptoms and improve quality of life.