The Effectiveness of Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy vs Conservative Treatment on Dizziness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Physical Therapy Reviews
Luth, C., Bartell, D., et al. (2019).
Physical Therapy Reviews, 24(5), 229-238.
This systematic review and meta-analysis investigates the effects of vestibular rehabilitation therapy (e.g., repositioning maneuvers) on outcomes for individuals with dizziness.
Not stated
January 2010 to January 2019
Randomized clinical trials
10 studies included in the systematic review; 4 included in the meta-analysis
Results from the qualitative analysis were inconclusive; of note, some studies included in the qualitative synthesis included vestibular rehabilitation interventions that fall outside of the audiologist's scope of practice. <br /><br />The studies included in the meta-analysis investigated the effects of repositioning maneuvers (e.g., Epley, Semont, Gufoni, and barbeque rotation maneuvers) for individuals with benign paroxysmal peripheral vertigo (BPPV). Repositioning maneuvers are more effective at reducing dizziness than conservative treatment in the short term (odds ratio=2.81; 95% CI=[1.56-5.05]); however, no significant differences were seen at long-term follow-up of 4 weeks or more. The difference between short- and long-term outcomes may have been due to recurrence of BPPV. Additionally, there were a limited number of studies that included long-term outcomes.
