PATTERN OF PATIENTS PRESENTING AS VERTIGO TO THE OPD SERVICES AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN KASHMIR. : A HOSPITAL BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: Faroq Nazrana , Khan Imran , Iqbal Hanan , Majid Qazi Sajad , Hussain Dar Nisar , Hussain Rather Rouf 
Published: November 2022

Background: Vertigo is a symptom of vestibular dysfunction with a sensation of motion (most commonly rotational
motion). It is one of the common presenting complaints in primary care institutions and emergency departments.
Different words are used by different patients about the type of motion being perceived. Vertigo affects both men and
women & all age groups. Diagnosis of the underlying disease demands that the complaint of vertigo be analyzed
correctly. To determine the 1. Associated presenting symptoms, 2. Pattern of diseases & 3. Risk fac Objectives: tors of
Vertigo among patients attending the OPD services at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Kashmir. A cross-s Methods: ectional
Study was conducted among the patients attending the OPD services of the Post Graduate Department of
Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck surgery (ORL AND HNS), Government SMHS Hospital Srinagar for a period of
18 months from May 2020 up to October 2021. All the patients of peripheral vertigo attending the ENT OPD in the age
group of 21 to 70 years of age of either sex were included. Patients of Central vertigo, Severe Cervical Spinal disease,
Uncontrolled Hypertension and active Heart ailments were excluded. 68 patients (61.8%) were Results & Discussion:
females while as 42 patients (38.2%) were males. Majority of patients presented as Vertigo associated with change in
position (41.8%) followed by Vertigo associated with change in position & Nausea vomiting (20.9%); Vertigo & Tinnitus
(10.9%) & Vertigo & Nausea vomiting (9.1%). Vertigo associated with Change in position was the most common
symptom present in 62.7% followed by Nausea/Vomiting (30%). Mean age of participants was 43.4 years with an SD of
10.2 years. The minimum age was 22 years & maximum age was 70 years. Out of 110 patients in this study 75 Patients
(68.2%) had BPPV, 30 Patients (27.3%) had Meniere's disease & only 5 Patients (4.5%) had Vestibular neuritis. The mean
age was highest among patients of Meniere's disease (49.50 Years), followed by patients of Vestibular neuritis (44.80
Years) & BPPV (40.85 Years); and this difference was statistically significant as the p value was less than 0.05. Vertigo with
change in position was specifically associated with BPPV, while as Vertigo with Tinnitis/ Aural Fullness/ Fluctuating
hearing was specifically associated with Meniere's disease. Vertigo with Nausea and vomiting was specifically
associated with Vestibular neuritis. All these associations were statistically significant with a p value of <0.001. The
Vertigo of BPPV presented for Seconds, the Vertigo of Meniere's disease presented for Minutes and Hours; & the Vertigo
of Vestibular Neuritis presented for days. This study was devised to determine the pattern of patie Conclusion: nts
presenting as vertigo to the OPD services at government SMHS hospital Srinagar. A total of 110 patients aged 22 to 70
years of age of either sex presenting with the complaint of vertigo were included in the study. Vertigo associated with
change in position was the most common presentation & BPPV was the most common diagnosis (68.2%) followed by
Meniere's disease (27.3%). Vertigo with change in position was specifically associated with BPPV, while as Vertigo with
Tinnitis/ Aural Fullness/ Fluctuating hearing was specifically associated with Meniere's disease. The Vertigo of BPPV
usually presented for Seconds, the Vertigo of Meniere's disease for Minutes to Hours & that of Vestibular Neuritis for days.