Abstract

GURGEL, Léia Gonçalves et al. Correlation between vestibular test results and self-reported psychological complaints of patients with vestibular symptoms. Braz. j. otorhinolaryngol. [online]. 2012, vol.78, n.1, pp. 62-67. ISSN 1808-8694.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1808-86942012000100010.

Cognitive and emotional factors may affect balance; psychiatric conditions are a common component in patient dizziness. The treatment of patients with vertigo may be affected to a greater degree by the suffering due to this disease than by the severity of organic changes. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate associations between vestibular test results and self-reported psychological complaints in patients evaluated during 2009 in an audiology unit at a hospital in Porto Alegre. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive-exploratory study of data taken from a database of the software VecWin^® and VecWin^® 2, developed by Neurograff^®. We investigated vestibular test results, reports of psychological symptoms reported spontaneously, and information such as age, sex and the presence of vertigo and/or dizziness. This study consisted of three steps: clustering, exclusion/inclusion and quantification. CONCLUSION: Age and gender and the presence or absence of vertigo and/or dizziness were not variables that influenced the outcomes of vestibular testing. There was a significant association between the presence of self-reported psychological complaints and normal vestibular test results. Thus, it is crucial that professionals pay attention to psychological issues reported by patients when the vestibular history is taken.

Keywords : electronystagmography; speech; language and hearing sciences; psychopathology; vertigo.