AUTHOR=Agger-Nielsen Helle Elisabeth , Grøndberg Thomas Stig , Berg-Beckhoff Gabriele , Ovesen Therese 

TITLE=Early vestibular rehabilitation training of peripheral acute vestibular syndrome—a systematic review and meta-analysis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2024.1396891

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2024.1396891

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>This study aimed to investigate the impact of early vestibular rehabilitation training combined with corticosteroids initiated within 2 weeks, compared with corticosteroid treatment, after the peripheral acute vestibular syndrome (pAVS) onset.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Data sources</title><p>PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and SCOPUS. From inception to January 24, 2024. The International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews approved this study (CRD42023422308).</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>Five studies involving 235 patients were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The subjective outcome measure Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) was pooled for a meta-analysis and was statistically significantly in favor of early vestibular rehabilitation training (early VRT) plus corticosteroids compared with corticosteroids alone: at one-month follow-up (<italic>p</italic> = 0.00) and 12 months follow-up (<italic>p</italic> = 0.01). DHI was a critical outcome for measuring the differences in effect of early VRT. The objective outcome measures of caloric lateralization, cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials, and posturography were gathered for a narrative synthesis.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>This meta-analysis showed that early VRT in combination with corticosteroids was more effective for treating pAVS than corticosteroid treatment alone. No adverse effects were reported for early VRT.</p></sec>