OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the balance function of the patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) during standing.
METHOD: In this study 41 patients with posterior semicircular canal BPPV (PC BPPV) and 11 patients with horizontal semicircular canal BPPV (HC BPPV) were recruited. Dynamic balance during standing was measured in Sensory Organization Test (SOT). Static balance during standing was measured in modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (mCTSIB). Data of BPPV patients were compared to that from 44 normal controls.
RESULT: Scores of the patients with PC BPPV were lower than that of the normal controls in the last three test conditions of SOT. Patients with PC BPPV demonstrated greater sway velocity in stance on foam with eyes open and eyes closed in mCTSIB. No postural deficit was observed in neither SOT nor mCTSIB when the patients with HC BPPV were compared to the normal controls.
CONCLUSION: Disorders of the horizontal semicircular canal do not influence postural control. Both dynamic and static posturography can detect the postural imbalance caused by posterior semicircular canal dysfunction.