Does benign paroxysmal positional vertigo explain age and gender variation in patients with vertigo by mechanical assistance maneuvers?

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common peripheral vestibular diseases. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of BPPV in vertigo patients and the characteristics of BPPV in diagnosis and repositioning using mechanical assistance maneuvers and to analyze and summarize the reasons showing these characteristics. Seven hundred and twenty-six patients with vertigo were enrolled in this study. All patients were inspected by TRV armchair (SYNAPSYS, model TRV, France). BPPV patients were identified by the examination results. The characteristics and results using TRV armchair in diagnosis and treatment of BPPV were compared and analyzed. Of 726 vertigo patients, 209 BPPV patients were diagnosed, including 58 men and 151 women, aged from 16 to 87 (mean 52.90 ± 11.93) years. There were significant differences in the proportion of BPPV in male and female vertigo patients (P = 0.0233), but no differences among all age groups (P = 0.3201). Of 209 BPPV patients, 208 cases were repositioned by TRV armchair and no one appeared to have otolithic debris relocated into another canal in the repositioning procedures. 202 cases (97.12 %) were successful and six cases (2.87 %) were effective. None of them failed. This study suggests that BPPV is one of the most common diseases in the young vertigo patients, just like that in the old ones. Female of the species has predilection for BPPV and the site of predilection is the right posterior semicircular canals (PC-BPPV). The results of repositioning are perfect using mechanical assistance maneuvers.