Effect of intratympanic steroid injection in light cupula.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of intratympanic steroid injection (ITS) in light cupula.

METHODS: A total of 47 patients showing persistent geotropic direction-changing positional nystagmus with null point (light cupula) were randomly classified into three groups: ITS (n = 15), vestibular suppressant (VS, n = 16) and canalith repositioning procedure (CRP, n = 16). Positional nystagmus and dizziness severity by dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were conducted before and 3 d and 1 week after first treatment to compare the effect of each treatment.

RESULTS: DHI and VAS scores had decreased after each treatment; however, there were no differences among the three groups. A week after the first treatment, 7, 6 and 7 patients showed resolution of direction-changing positional nystagmus (DCPN) in the ITS, CRP and VS groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between the three groups. In the ITS group only, however, reversal of the stronger side on head roll test was observed in 6 patients, and 2 of them showed resolution of DCPN at the third day.

CONCLUSIONS: ITS was not effective for patients with light cupula at 1-week follow-up. However, some patients in the ITS group showed resolution of DCPN at earlier follow-up.