Vestibular Function Test in Old Age Patients with Vertebrobasilar Dolichoectasia.
- Author:
Geun Ho LEE
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia;
vertigo;
vestibular function test;
Electrpmustagmography;
Posturography
- MeSH:
Aged;
Caloric Tests;
Cranial Nerves;
Humans;
Ischemia;
Prevalence;
Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency*;
Vertigo;
Vestibular Function Tests*
- From:Journal of the Korean Geriatrics Society
2001;5(4):341-347
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUNDS: Most of vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia(VBD) patients are in old age. Cranial nerve dysfunction including vestibular dysfunction such as vertigo is frequent complications of VBD. But little is known about the vestibular function test(VFT) profile of the disease. METHODS: Auditory testing and VFT(electronysta-gmography with caloric test, rotaional test and computerized dynamic posturography) were performed in 25 elderly patients with auditory-vestibular symptoms or cranial nerve impairment associated with VBD. RESULTS: postive test results were observed in 22 cases(88%). 11 cases had evidence of peripheral involvement, 4 cases evidence of central impairment, and 7 cases had evidence of both peripheral and central dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Relatively high prevalence of central dysfunction means that mechanism such as ischemia or impaired blood supply to the vestibular system is as important as compression of the cranial nerves to generate vestibular dysfunction in elderly patients with VBD.