Clinical study on the Efficacy of Low-dose Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) Treatment for Different Subtypes of Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)

Abstract

We have already reported that low-dose SSRI therapy for PPPD is associated with an efficacy rate of 75.9%. The treatment outcomes of SSRI therapy for each subtype of PPPD have not yet been reported, and this is the first report. Low-dose SSRI therapy was effective for all subtypes of PPPD (visual-dominant type, active motion-dominant type, and mixed type). In particular, the visual-dominant type was considered refractory given its high Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) score, although the degree of improvement of the Niigata PPPD Questionnaire (NPQ) with low-dose SSRI therapy was significantly higher than that of the active motion-dominant type. This suggests that low-dose SSRI therapy may be effective for visual-dominant type PPPD, despite its higher severity prior to the initiation of treatment. Low-dose SSRI therapy is also expected to be effective for OD as a preceding dizziness disorder.