Quality of life of patients with vestibular and non-vestibular dizziness

Objective. To assess the quality of life of patients with vestibular (vertigo) and non-vestibular (instability) dizziness. Materials and methods. 82 patients with dizziness were examined. 47 patients with vestibular dizziness (vertigo) who were diagnosed with peripheral vestibulopathy and 35 patients with non-vestibular dizziness (instability), observed on an outpatient basis with the diagnosis of stage 1-2 dyscirculatory encephalopathy, comparable in gender and age were among them. The assessment of the quality of life was carried out using the Vestibular Rehabilitation Benefit Questionnaire (VRBQ). A comparative analysis of the quality of life in patients with vestibular and non-vestibular dizziness due to various causes using VRBQ was carried out for the first time. Statistical data processing was performed by the Statistica 12.0 program, nonparametric methods were used, taking into account the abnormal sample distribution. Results. A significant decrease in the quality of life in any type of dizziness relative to the health was revealed. In vestibular dizziness, a deterioration in the quality of life by 53.2 [30.4; 73.0] % was noted, in non-vestibular dizziness – by 39.5 [33.4; 51.7] %. In patients with vestibular dizziness (vertigo), the symptom of rotational vertigo itself, regardless of the duration of the attack, (66.7 [50.0; 72.3] %; p = 0.002), as well as the fact of restriction of daily motor activity, causing provocation of vertigo (40.1 [30.1; 63.5] %; p = 0.005), affected more significantly. The role of psychoemotional discomfort (anxiety associated with the symptom developed) in patients with vestibular dizziness (33.4 [16.7; 55.6] %) was equivalent (р = 0.815) to that in patients with non-vestibular dizziness (33.4 [27.8; 50.0] %). In case of non-vestibular dizziness (instability), a positive correlation between the total quality of life deficit and anxiety was noted (r = 0.598; p 0.05), this fact can indicate an increased risk of development of functional disorders with dizziness on the initial stages of dyscirculatory encephalopathy. Conclusions. It is recommended to study the quality of life of patients with dizziness symptom of various etiology using the VRBQ in order to improve the quality of therapy and prevent development of functional disorders timely.