Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common peripheral vestibular diseases in vestibular clinics. The cumulative incidence is approximately 10% of the general population. A recent study suggests that low serum vitamin D levels are associated with Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The study findings were published in the Ear, Nose & Throat Journal on April 18, 2021.
Many studies have shown that normalization of serum vitamin D levels can reduce the recurrent rate of BPPV. However, some studies showed no significant relationship between BPPV and vitamin D deficiency. Also, previous studies have not been able to conclude that serum vitamin D levels and the pathogenesis of BPPV are associated. Therefore, researchers of the Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, conducted a study to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV).
It was a prospective cross-sectional study of 137 participants. The researchers compared 69 participants in the BPPV group with 68 healthy participants. Researchers further divided the BPPV group into 2 subgroups which were the first diagnosis of the BPPV group and the recurrent BPPV group. They collected the blood samples from all participants to assess the serum vitamin D levels.
Key findings of the study were:
Upon analysis, the researchers found no significant difference in demographic data between BPPV and control groups.
They noted that the mean serum vitamin D levels in the BPPV group were lower than that of the control group.
Among BPPV participants, they further found no statistically significant difference between mean serum vitamin D levels of participants with recurrent BPPV and that of newly diagnosed BPPV participants.
The authors concluded, "A statistically significant association between lower mean serum vitamin D levels in the Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) group compared with that of the control group. Therefore, low serum vitamin D levels may be one of the risk factors for Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV)."
For further information:
https://doi.org/10.1177/01455613211008561