Statistical and prognostic studies were made on 102 patients who suffered from rotatory vertigo without any sign of cochlear symptoms. They visited the Department of Otolaryngology, Kurashiki Central Hospital from 1971 to 1976. The following results were obtained:
a) Statistical observations:
1) Among 1, 977 vertiginous patients, 102 showed rotatory vertigo without any sign of cochlear symptoms, the rate being 5.2%.
2) The development of the vertigo of this type was more marked in females than in males, the ratio being 2:1.
3) The development of the vertigo of this type was marked in those aged from the twenties through the forties, the peak being in the thirties.
4) Patients with the vertigo of this type consulted our clinic within 2 years after the first attack, with a rate of 70%.
5) The positive signs of vestibular disorders detected were more marked in the patients with Meniere's disease than those with vertigo of this type.
6) Patients tended to show one or more recurrences of vertiginous attacks within one month. However, some of the patients developed only one recurrence with an interval of several years.
b) Prognostic observations derived from the questionnaires:
Among the above-mentioned 102 patients, 49 responded to our questionnaires with the following results:
According to vertiginous attacks and cochlear symptoms, these 49 patients were divided into the following three groups:
1) The first group still had vertiginous attacks and developed cochlear symptoms for the first time. About one-third of the 49 patients belonged to the first group.
2) The second group had only vertiginous attacks without any sign of cochlear symptoms. About one-third of the 49 patients belonged to the second group.
3) The third group ceased to have vertiginous attacks and developed no signs of cochlear symptoms. The remaining one-third of the 49 patients belonged to the third group.
From these findings the following conclusions were drawn:
The rotatory vertigo with no cochlear symptoms differs from Meniere's disease with regard to the neural background. However, it is possible that the condition turns into Meniere's disease, although such a tendency is not very marked.
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