No evidence for a specific vitamin D deficit in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Background and purpose: The aim was to investigate whether there is a difference in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration between patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), patients with other vestibular diseases and patients with other neurological non-vestibular diseases presenting in a tertiary neurological academic outpatient clinic.

Methods: The serum 25(OH)D concentration was measured in 680 patients (368 male, mean age ± SD 58 ± 17 years, 661 Caucasian) without vitamin D supplementation. 158 patients had BPPV; 221 had other vestibular diseases (including 122 with peripheral vestibular disorders, such as unilateral vestibulopathy or Ménière's disease; 46 with central vestibular disorders, such as vestibular migraine or cerebellar dizziness; 53 with functional dizziness); and 301 patients with other neurological non-vestibular diseases.

Results: There was no significant difference in the serum 25(OH)D concentration between patients with BPPV (mean ± SD 23.4 ± 9.4 ng/ml) and those with other vestibular disorders (24.9 ± 10.1 ng/ml, p = 0.324). Patients with other neurological disorders had even lower concentrations (21.4 ± 10.6 ng/ml) than patients with BPPV (p < 0.005), patients with other vestibular disorders (p < 0.005) and all patients with vestibular disorders (24.9 ± 10.1 ng/ml, p < 0.005).

Conclusion: Our analysis does not support the theory of a specific relationship between serum 25(OH)D concentration and the occurrence of BPPV or other vestibular disorders.