A Retrospective Study on the Association of Age and Sex with the Effectiveness of Canalith Repositioning and Home-Based Rehabilitation in Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Patients

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the association between sex, age, and the effectiveness of the canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) combined with home-based vestibular rehabilitation in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), and to examine their influence on dizziness-related quality of life as measured by the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). Study design: Retrospective observational study Setting: The Outpatient Departments of Otolaryngology and Physical Therapy, Trang Hospital, Trang Province, Thailand Subjects: Seventy eight adults with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) treated with canalith repositioning and home based vestibular rehabilitation. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, 78 patients who underwent CRP and home-based vestibular exercises between October 2023 and February 2024 were analyzed. Patients were divided into two age groups (18-59 years and ≥ 60 years) and compared by sex. Treatment outcomes were measured based on symptom resolution and changes in DHI scores before and after treatment. Group comparisons were performed using chi-square tests, t-tests, and correlation analyses, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The overall resolution rate was 97.4%. There were no significant differences by age or sex. Age correlated positively with DHI pre and post scores (r = 0.83 and 0.73, p < 0.01), and post treatment DHI was higher in females than males (p = 0.02). Conclusions: This study highlights that while CRP combined with home-based vestibular rehabilitation is effective for BPPV treatment, older adults and females experience greater dizziness related handicaps. These findings emphasize the need for age and sex-specific considerations in rehabilitation programs, particularly regarding realistic outcome expectations for older adults and enhanced support for females who may experience greater residual handicap.