Hyperventilation in the vestibular clinic: use of the Nijmegen Questionnaire.

The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome in patients seen for vestibular assessment and to assess the clinical utility of the Nijmegen Questionnaire in this group. The Nijmegen Questionnaire and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) were administered prospectively to a consecutive series of 100 patients identified as candidates for vestibular assessment within the University Hospital Neuro-otology practice. Twenty-three per cent of patients seen for vestibular assessment were diagnosed with hyperventilation syndrome using the Nijmegen Questionnaire. Seventeen of these (74%) would have remained undetected had the Nijmegen questionnaire not been used. No relationship was found between vestibular assessment results and either Nijmegen or DHI scores. A significant correlation was found between DHI scores and Nijmegen Questionnaire scores (rho = 0.348, P = 0.0005). In conclusion, the Nijmegen Questionnaire is a quick, easy to administer and low-impact assessment tool for hyperventilation syndrome and is a useful adjunct to the otological consultation. Diagnosed patients can then be offered breathing control exercises as part of a vestibular rehabilitation programme.