Menopause and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to examine the age and sex distribution and the effects of menopause in a large cohort of participants diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). METHODS: We analyzed 1,377 BPPV patients and surveyed 935 women from this group - all diagnosed at the Boys Town National Research Hospital in the last decade. RESULTS: A detailed age and sex distribution analysis of BPPV onset showed that aging had a profound impact on BPPV occurrence in both sexes, and that perimenopausal women were especially susceptible to BPPV (3.2:1 female-to-male ratio). The latter is a novel finding and was confirmed by a direct survey of female BPPV patients (168 participated). In addition, there was a pronounced female preponderance (6.8:1 female-to-male ratio) in BPPV in the teenage group despite its low prevalence in this age group. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest that hormonal fluctuations (especially during menopause) may increase the tendency to develop BPPV.