Anxiolytics reduce residual dizziness after successful canalith repositioning maneuvers in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that adjuvant anti-anxiety medication may be helpful for patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) even after a successful canalith repositioning procedure (CRP).

OBJECTIVE: Although the CRP is an effective treatment for BPPV, many patients suffer from persistent dizziness despite successful CRPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of adjuvant anxiolytic medication on residual dizziness after successful CRP.

METHODS: Between January 2011 and March 2011, 73 patients were diagnosed with BPPV and they underwent successful treatment with CRPs. The patients were randomly assigned to either the medication group or the control group. The patients in the medication group were prescribed low dose etizolam for 2 weeks whereas the patients in the control group were not prescribed any medication. All patients were scheduled to return 2 weeks after evaluation of subjective visual vertical. Subjective symptoms before and after CRP were measured using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale.

RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated a significant improvement in DHI scores. However, the medication group showed significantly greater decrease in the functional (p = 0.018) and emotional (p = 0.030) subscale scores, as well as in the total DHI (p = 0.038) score.