Objective To clarify the distribution of etiological factors in elderly versus non-elderly outpatients with vertigo/dizziness for optimizing the diagnosis and therapy. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data of outpatients with vertigo/dizziness in Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital from April 2015 to April 2017 and conducted diagnoses in accordance with the currently wide-accepted diagnostic criteria. Results A total of 3 356 patients with chief complains of vertigo/dizziness were recruited ,and their top seven etiological factors were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (n＝ 1 320 ,39.3%) ,chronic subjective dizziness(n＝680 ,20.3%) ,vestibular migraine(n＝386 ,11.5%) ,posterior circulation ischemia (n＝213 ,6.4%) ,Meniere's disease (n ＝ 138 ,4.1%) ,vestibular neuritis (n＝ 121 ,3.6%) ,and vestibular paroxysmia(n＝76 ,2.3%). The top four etiological factors for the elderly patients (n＝1 255)were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (n＝ 498 ,39.7%) ,chronic subjective dizziness (n＝ 279 ,22.2%) ,posterior circulation ischemia(n＝161 ,12.8%) ,and vestibular migraine(n＝73 ,5.8%) ;while the top four etiological factors for non-elderly patients (n＝ 2 101)were benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (n＝ 822 ,39.1%) , chronic subjective dizziness(n＝401 ,19.1%) ,vestibular migraine(n＝313 ,14.9%) ,and vestibular neuritis(n＝105 ,5.0%). The detection rate in elderly patients versus non-elderly patients was significantly higher in chronic subjective dizziness (22.2% vs.19.1%,P＝ 0.032 )and in posterior circulation ischemia (12.8%vs.2.5%,P＝0.000) ,and was significantly lower in vestibular neuritis (1.3% vs.5.0%,P＝ 0.000 ) ,in vestibular migraine(5.8% vs.19.4%,P ＝ 0.000)and in other causes (1.0% vs.2.7%,P ＝ 0.002) . Conclusions The ratio of posterior circulation ischemia is markedly higher in elderly outpatients than in non-elderly outpatients ,whereas the ratios of vestibular migraine and vestibular neuritis in elderly patients are lower than in non-elderly outpatients.

Objective　To investigate the effect of fatty acid binding protein 7 （FABP7） on blood-brain barrier （BBB） permeability in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion （I/R） rats and the mechanisms involved. Methods　BBB cell model was established by co-culture of rat brain microvascular endothelial cells and astrocytes. The BBB model of I/R injury was established by using oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation （OGD/R） method. This model was treated with the FABP7 recombinant protein （rh-FABP7） alone or together with S7155.ENDOHM instrument，Western blotting and flow cytometry were used to determine the transendothelial electrical resistance （TEER），FABP7，TJ and matrix metalloproteinase （MMP） protein levels，and apoptosis. The rat brain I/R model was established，and rh-FABP7 was injected intraperitoneally. The neurological function score，wet and dry weight method，and Evans blue staining were used to determine the neurological function，brain water content，and BBB permeability of rats. Results　FABP7 overexpression reversed the OGD/R-induced down-regulation of TEER，and FABP7 and TJ protein expression，as well as the up-regulation of MMP2/9 expression and apoptosis （P<0.05）. S7155 treatment promoted the effect of FABP7 on MMP2/9 and TJ protein levels，TEER，and apoptosis （P<0.05）. Moreover，FABP7 overexpression reversed the I/R-induced increase of neural function score，brain water content，and BBB permeability and decrease of FABP7 protein level in rats（P<0.05）. Conclusion　FABP7 alleviated the damage of brain I/R to BBB integrity by inhibiting MMP2/9.