FIVE-YEARS PREVALENCE OF VESTIBULAR DISORDERS, AS SEEN IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Vestibular disorders can affect the peripheral or central vestibular systems, controlling and maintaining balance. Several studies have confirmed the high prevalence rate of vestibular disorders in other countries. To our knowledge, only one study has been conducted on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in eastern India, and limited knowledge on other vestibular disorders in the country. Hence, the present study was conducted at SRM hospital, Kattankulathur, Chengalpattu District, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, to estimate the overall prevalence of vestibular disorders in a tertiary care hospital between January 2016 and December 2020. The prevalence was identified through a register-based study that examined the case files of those who visited SRM Hospital with complaints related to balance and analyzed them in a retrospective manner. The present study found that 392 individuals with vestibular disorders were among the 214,004 clients. Thus, the prevalence of vestibular disorders according to the present study is 0.18 percent. The salient results of the present study were: Adults are more likely to experience vestibular disorders 323 (0.15%) children 1 (0.0004%), and, adolescents 7 (0.003%). Therefore, the prevalence of vestibular disorders is higher in adults than in other age groups. Prevalence of vestibular disorders was higher in women 236 (0.11%) than in men 156 (0.07%). The prevalence of vestibular disorders based on different types reveals that 311 (0.14%) BPPV is the most prevalent type, followed by 30 (0.014%) Menieres and 15 (0.007%) vestibular neuritis. KEYWORDS: vestibular disorder, Prevalence, Tertiary care hospital.