A recent study published in European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology has found that benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is related to low levels of vitamin D and abnormal bone density.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common type of vertigo and is a disorder of the inner ear, which is a key part of maintaining balance. It is a type of vertigo that occurs suddenly with the change of head movement and is characterized by a sense of spinning, dizziness, loss of balance, and nausea.
The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D, bone mineral density, and BPPV.
Researchers enrolled 80 patients with BPPV for the study group. The study group was divided into two subgroups: participants with recurrent BPPV and participants with non-recurrent BPPV. The control group consisted of 100 healthy participants.
The vitamin D levels and bone mineral densities were then compared between the control group and the study group.
Bone density was measured with a t-score. A t-score compares the bone mineral density of the participant versus the normal bone mineral density of someone the same age and gender.
The results showed significant differences in t-scores between the control group and the study group, with more abnormal t-scores in the study group, especially in the subgroup of participants with recurrent BPPV.
Researchers found vitamin D levels were significantly lower in participants with BPPV compared to the healthy participants.
Interestingly, vitamin D levels were significantly lower in the participants with recurrent BPPV compared to the participants with non-recurrent BPPV.
“Low levels of vitamin D were related to development of BPPV while very low levels were associated with recurrence of BPPV,” the researchers concluded.
The researchers call for experimental studies to further examine the relationship between vitamin D, bone mineral density, and BPPV.
Source
7 Oct 2016