Abstract

MORENO, Nathali Singaretti  and  ANDRE, Ana Paula do Rego. Audiologic features of elderly with Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. Rev. Bras. Otorrinolaringol. [online]. 2009, vol.75, n.2, pp. 300-304. ISSN 0034-7299.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-72992009000200023.

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of dizziness; it constitutes the most common vestibular disorder in the elderly with vertigo. Its characteristic clinical aspect is dizziness at head movement, with not hearing alteration. AIM: This paper aims at studying the audiologic characteristics of elderly with BPPV of the posterior semicircular canal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of threshold tonal audiometry exams of 37 senior citizens with posterior semicircular canal BPPV and also of 37 elderly without complaints of dizziness and/or vertigo, and we studied the audiologic characteristics of the two groups. RESULTS: Both groups had high rates of hearing loss, especially the descending curve sensorineural type, and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: Having such data, we can conclude that posterior semicircular canal BPPV has no impact on the hearing loss features of senior citizens; nonetheless, because of the spontaneous degeneration of the vestibulocochlear system, such population has a prevalence of hearing loss.

Keywords : hearing; elderly; vertigo.