An Evaluation of the Effects of Betahistine and Dimenhydrinate on Posterior Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

Özet

Objective: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV) is the most common peripheral vestibularsystem disease causing dizziness. It occurs morein the 5th decade of life and affects the posterior canal in 90% of the patients. The most effectivetreatment method is canalith repositioning (CRP)maneuver. The aim of this study is to evaluate theeffects of betahistine and dimenhydrinate therapies in addition to CRP maneuver on BPPV patients.Methods: The study included 64 patients whohad complaints of dizziness and were diagnosedwith BPPV by their history and provocationmaneuvers. The patients were divided into twogroups. In Group 1, only repositioning maneuver was performed. Group 2 was divided into twosubgroups. In Group 2a, repositioning maneuverwas performed and betahistine 24 mg twice dailywas given for 10 days. In Group 2b, repositioningmaneuver was performed and dimenhydrinate 50mg once daily was given for five days. On the 10thday, all patients were reexamined, and provocationmaneuver was performed. Dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) was completed and outcomes werereviewed for therapeutic efficacy.Results: Mean DHI scores in all patient groupsstatistically significantly decreased from apre-treatment level of 52.16 (range, 20-100) toa post-treatment level of 17.84 (range, 0-78)(p<0.001). No statistically significant differenceswere found in terms of DHI scores between Group1 (repositioning maneuver only) and Group 2 (repositioning maneuver plus betahistine or dimenhydrinate).Conclusion: The most effective treatment methodof BPPV is repositioning maneuver. Addition ofbetahistine or dimenhydrinate pharmacotherapyto repositioning maneuver did not show superiority to treatment with repositioning maneuversalone.