Department of Neurology, Center for Vertigo and Dizziness, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2022 Jul;35(4):580-585. doi: 10.1177/08919887211036185. Epub 2021 Aug 2.
The incidence of dizziness and vertigo is increasing with age, and symptoms lead to significant limitations in daily living and to disability in older patients.
Data of 1,752 patients with chronic dizziness/vertigo subjected to a tertiary care, specialized interdisciplinary vertigo center were analyzed. Age, gender, symptoms, medical diagnosis, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) were collected based on a questionnaire and analysis of associated patient records. The patients were assigned to 3 age groups (< 41, 41-65, and > 65 years).
33.7% of the patients were older than 65 years. Frequency of symptoms and DHI score increased with age. Older patients reported less frequently about coexisting symptoms such as nausea, headache, tinnitus, ear pressure, and visual impairment. Multisensory deficit, central vertigo, bilateral vestibulopathy, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were diagnosed increasingly with age, while persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and vestibular migraine were diagnosed in the younger age groups.
In the diagnostic work-up of older patients age-specific characteristics of dizziness/vertigo have to be considered. The older patient generally is more impaired by the symptoms but possibly will not report typical diagnosis-defining symptoms.
随着年龄的增长，头晕和眩晕的发病率不断增加，症状导致老年人日常生活严重受限，并导致残疾。
对在三级专科眩晕中心接受治疗的 1752 例慢性头晕/眩晕患者的数据进行了分析。根据问卷和相关患者记录的分析，收集了年龄、性别、症状、医学诊断和眩晕障碍量表（DHI）。将患者分为 3 个年龄组（<41 岁、41-65 岁和>65 岁）。
33.7%的患者年龄大于 65 岁。症状的频率和 DHI 评分随年龄增长而增加。老年患者较少报告伴随症状，如恶心、头痛、耳鸣、耳压和视力障碍。随着年龄的增长，多感觉缺陷、中枢性眩晕、双侧前庭病和良性阵发性位置性眩晕的诊断越来越多，而持续性姿势感知性头晕和前庭性偏头痛则在较年轻的年龄组中诊断。
在对老年患者进行头晕/眩晕的诊断时，必须考虑年龄特异性特征。老年患者通常受症状的影响更大，但可能不会报告典型的诊断定义症状。
