This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Laurence Ariyasu, MD; Frederick M. Byl, MD; Monroe S. Sprague, MD; Kedar K. Adour, MD

Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1990;116(6):700-703.

Abstract
• To assess the efficacy of corticosteroids in acute vestibular vertigo, we randomly selected 20 patients so that half took methylprednisolone and half took placebo. Extensive neurotologic examination confirmed the diagnosis. If no significant reduction of vertigo occurred within the first 24 hours of treatment, patients were instructed to switch medications. Patients were followed up prospectively for 1 month. Of the 10 patients receiving methylprednisolone, 9 had a marked reduction of vertiginous symptoms and 1 switched to the placebo medication. Of the 10 patients receiving placebo, 3 had relief of vertiginous symptoms, while the 7 with persistent symptoms switched to methylprednisolone and had subsequent effective reduction of vertigo within 24 hours. The electronystagmogram returned to normal within 1 month in all 16 patients taking methylprednisolone, but remained abnormal in 2 of the 4 patients treated with placebo. One patient receiving methylprednisolone had a relapse of symptoms when the dosage was tapered, but symptoms again remitted when the dosage was increased to 32 mg/d. From this doubleblind, prospective, placebo-controlled, crossover study, we conclude that methylprednisolone is much more effective than placebo in reducing vertiginous symptoms in patients with acute vestibular vertigo.

(Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1990;116:700-703)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Otolaryngology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Oakland, Calif. Dr Sprague is now in private practice, Chico, Calif.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication January 29, 1990.

Reprint requests to the Department of Otolaryngology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, 280 W MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94611 (Dr Byl).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

BET 1: STEROIDS FOR PATIENTS WITH VESTIBULAR NEURONITIS
Chou and Yen
Emerg. Med. J. 2009;26:813-815.
FULL TEXT  

A practical approach to acute vertigo
Seemungal and Bronstein
PN 2008;8:211-221.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The inner ear and the neurologist
Agrup et al.
J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry 2007;78:114-122.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Methylprednisolone, Valacyclovir, or the Combination for Vestibular Neuritis
Strupp et al.
NEJM 2004;351:354-361.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Vestibular Neuritis
Baloh
NEJM 2003;348:1027-1032.
FULL TEXT  

Lesion-induced plasticity in rat vestibular nucleus neurones dependent on glucocorticoid receptor activation
Cameron and Dutia
J. Physiol. 1999;518:151-158.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Topical Review: Dizziness in Childhood
Tusa et al.
J Child Neurol 1994;9:261-274.
ABSTRACT