[Epley's manoeuvre versus Epley's manoeuvre plus labyrinthine sedative in the management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: prospective, randomised study].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of Epley's manoeuvre and Epley's manoeuvre plus labyrinthine sedative in the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

METHOD: Eighty-four patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were included in a randomized study. Forty-two cases in control group were treated with Epley's manoeuvre alone and the other 42 cases in treated group received Epley's manoeuvre together with Betahistine mesilate tablets, flunarizine hydrochloride, and extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves tablets. Both groups were analyzed after one week and four weeks, and recurrence was observed after half a year.

RESULT: After one week treatment, cure rate and total effective rate of treated group was higher than that of control group (78.57% vs. 50.00% and 92.86% vs. 80.95%, P < 0.05, respectively). After four weeks treatment, there was no significant difference in cure rate and total effective rate between two groups (80.95% vs. 71.43% and 95.24% vs. 90.48%, P > 0.05, respectively). After half year, recurrence was found in 3 patients in treated group compared with 7 patients in control group (7.14% vs. 16.67%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Epley's manoeuvre is the best treatment method of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo together with the medicine. It is easy, safe and effective, and the healing time can be shortened.