Risk factors related balance disorder for patients with dizziness/vertigo

BACKGROUND: When dizziness/vertigo patients presented with balance disorder, it will bring severe morbidity. There is currently lack of research to explore risk factor related balance disorder in dizziness patients, especially in those who walk independently. AIM: To investigate risk factors related balance disorder in dizziness/vertigo patients who walk independently. METHODS: Medical data of 1002 dizziness/vertigo patients registered in vertigo/balance disorder registration database were reviewed. The demographic data, medical history, and risk factors for atherosclerosis (AS) were collected. Enrolled dizziness/vertigo patients could walk independently, completed Romberg test, videonystagmography (VNG), and limits of stability (LOS). The subjective imbalance was patient complained of postural symptom when performing Romberg test. Multivariable logistic regression analyzed risk factors related balance disorder. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluated the utility of regression model. RESULTS: Five hundred fifty-three dizziness/vertigo patients who walk independently were included in the final analysis. According to LOS, patients were divided into 334 (60%) normal balance and 219 (40%) balance disorder. Compared with normal balance, patients with balance disorder were older (P = 0.045) and had more risk factors for AS (P<0.0001). The regression showed that risk factors for AS (OR 1.494, 95% CI 1.198–1.863), subjective imbalance (OR 4.835, 95% CI 3.047–7.673), and abnormality of optokinetic nystagmus (OR 8.308, 95% CI 1.576–43.789) were related to balance disorder. The sensitivity and specificity of model were 71 and 63% (P<0.0001). The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.721. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for AS, subjective imbalance, and abnormality of optokinetic nystagmus were predictors for balance disorder in patients with dizziness/vertigo who walk independently.