Validation of dizziness as a possible geriatric syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

While dizziness has traditionally been considered solely as a symptom of discrete diseases, recent findings from population-based studies of older persons suggest that it may often be a geriatric syndrome with multiple predisposing risk factors, representing impairments in diverse systems. To validate these findings, we identified predisposing risk factors for dizziness in a clinic-based population.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Geriatric assessment center.

PARTICIPANTS

262 consecutive, eligible patients.

MEASUREMENTS

Medical history and physical examination data were ascertained and characteristics of patients with and without a report of dizziness were compared.

RESULTS

Seven factors were independently associated with a report of dizziness, namely depressive symptoms, cataracts, abnormal balance or gait, postural hypotension, diabetes, past myocardial infarction, and the use of three or more medications. Of patients with none of these risk factors, none reported dizziness. This proportion rose from 6% among patients with one factor, to 12%, 26%, and 51% among patients with two, three, and four or more factors, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The finding of similar factors associated with dizziness in previous community-based cohorts and the present clinic-based cohort supports the possibility of a multifactorial etiology of dizziness in many older persons. A multifactorial intervention targeting the factors identified in these studies may be effective at reducing the frequency or severity of dizziness in older patients.