Mariani Paolo, Pelagatti Matteo, Hahn Ales, Alpini Dario
Department of Statistics, Milano Bicocca University, Milan, Italy.
Int Tinnitus J. 2008;14(2):168-74.
The aim of this article was to evaluate the time course of paroxysmal positioning vertigo (PPV) and to investigate correlations with environmental and seasonal factors through a retrospective statistical analysis spanning 4 years (2001-2004). Applying rigorous diagnostic criteria, we selected 575 patients (429 women and 146 men; age range, 17-94 years; mean age, 55 years for men and 56 years for women). Statistical analysis included events per month and per year. We conducted a descriptive statistical analysis to investigate the correlation between vertigo events and main environmental factors: air pollution as expressed by daily concentration of nitric monoxide and ultrafine particles; air pressure; mean temperature and sun radiation; and humidity. We referred the environmental data, collected by Regione Lombardia (the regional government of Lombardy), to the greater Milan homogeneous area. We performed an analysis of variance test and observed that PPV is more frequent in middle-aged women (in or around their fifties) and on the right side. PPV is clearly negatively correlated with temperature, and frequency of attacks depends on temperature variations. The role of air pollution, especially particles, is suspected, but it is not yet clearly identified. Factors that link climate and otoconia metabolism require further investigation.
本文旨在评估阵发性位置性眩晕（PPV）的病程，并通过一项涵盖4年（2001 - 2004年）的回顾性统计分析，研究其与环境和季节因素的相关性。我们应用严格的诊断标准，选取了575例患者（429例女性和146例男性；年龄范围17 - 94岁；男性平均年龄55岁，女性平均年龄56岁）。统计分析包括每月和每年的发病情况。我们进行了描述性统计分析，以研究眩晕发作与主要环境因素之间的相关性：用一氧化氮和超细颗粒的日浓度表示的空气污染；气压；平均温度和太阳辐射；以及湿度。我们将伦巴第大区（伦巴第地区政府）收集的环境数据应用于大米兰同质区域。我们进行了方差分析测试，观察到PPV在中年女性（五十岁左右或五十岁上下）以及右侧更为常见。PPV与温度明显呈负相关，发作频率取决于温度变化。空气污染尤其是颗粒物的作用受到怀疑，但尚未明确确定。连接气候和耳石代谢的因素需要进一步研究。
