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Efficacy of steroid therapy based on symptomatic and functional improvement in patients with vestibular neuritis: a prospective randomized controlled trial

  • Otology
  • Published:
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Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of methylprednisolone in vestibular neuritis (VN) by objective and subjective measures. This prospective controlled randomized study was conducted at one tertiary hospital. Twenty-nine VN patients were randomized to either the steroid (n = 15) or the control (n = 14) group. The steroid group received methylprednisolone for 2 weeks, whereas control patients did not; both groups underwent regular vestibular exercises and were prescribed a Ginkgo biloba. Vestibular function tests including caloric test, video head impulse test (vHIT), and sensory organization test (SOT) were performed, and dizziness handicap index (DHI) was determined at enrollment; all tests were repeated at 1 and 6 months after enrollment. Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in caloric weakness and vHIT gain at 1- and 6-month follow-up evaluations compared to the initial examination; however, differences were not significant. The rates of normalization of canal paresis at 1 and 6 months were 50 and 64% in the control group and 33 and 60% in the steroid group, respectively, with no differences between the two groups. The rates of vHIT normalization at 1 and 6 months after treatment were 57 and 78% in the control group and 53 and 87% in the steroid group, respectively, with no differences between the two groups. Finally, there were no significant differences in the improvement of composite scores of SOT and the DHI scores between the two groups. In this prospective RCT, methylprednisolone had no additional benefit in patients with VN who underwent vestibular exercises and received a Ginkgo biloba.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier, NCT02098330; Trial title, The Efficacy of Steroid Therapy in Vestibular Neuritis.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by a grant from the Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI10C2020), which had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; and decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Funding

This study was funded by a grant from the Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI10C2020).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea

    Myung Hoon Yoo

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Hanil General Hospital, Seoul, South Korea

    Chan Joo Yang

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, 88 Olympicro-43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, South Korea

    Shin Ae Kim, Marn Joon Park, Joong Ho Ahn, Jong Woo Chung & Hong Ju Park

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  1. Myung Hoon Yoo
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Correspondence to Hong Ju Park.

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Yoo, M.H., Yang, C.J., Kim, S.A. et al. Efficacy of steroid therapy based on symptomatic and functional improvement in patients with vestibular neuritis: a prospective randomized controlled trial. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 2443–2451 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4556-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4556-1

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