Tontura em idosos: diagnóstico otoneurológico e interferência na qualidade de vida

PURPOSE: To verify the otoneurologic diagnosis of elderly individuals with dizziness and the interference of this symptom in their quality of life. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, conducted with 56 elderly individuals with dizziness. Subjects' mean age was 71.2 years, and they were submitted to otoneurologic assessment, which involved: pure-tone, speech and impedance audiometry, balance assessment, testing for positional and positioning vertigo and nystagmus, and vectoelectronystagmography. A specific questionnaire for dizziness was used to assess the quality of life, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), which verifies the handicap effects provoked by this symptom. RESULTS: Rotatory dizziness was reported by 29 patients (51.8%), 75% presented some hearing complaint, and 69.6% had altered results in audiometry. Patients with vestibular complaints of positional dizziness presented significant difference for the physical aspect of the DHI. Patients with vestibular complaints of imbalance showed significant difference for the functional and emotional aspects. The computerized vectoelectronystagmography was altered in 47 patients (83.9%), indicating peripheral vestibular disorder in all cases. In the post-caloric assessment, hyperreflexia was the most prevalent alteration, and the most frequent diagnosis was Deficient Peripheral Vestibular Syndrome to the Left. Regarding quality of life, the functional aspect had the highest average score among the three aspects evaluated, and there was a significant difference between the functional and emotional aspects. CONCLUSION: Most elderly patients with dizziness present alterations in audiometry and vectoelectronystagmography, which indicate a disorder in the vestibulocochlear system; they also present impaired quality of life.