Is it important to repeat the positioning maneuver after the treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?

INTRODUCTION Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of peripheral vestibular dysfunction. OBJECTIVE To assess whether the performance of the Dix-Hallpike maneuver after the Epley positioning maneuver has prognostic value in the evolution of unilateral ductolithiasis of posterior semicircular canal. METHODS A prospective cohort study in monitored patients at otoneurology ambulatory with a diagnosis of BPPV; they were submitted to the therapeutic maneuver and then to a retest in order to evaluate the treatment effectiveness; all cases were reassessed one week later and the retest prognostic value was evaluated. RESULTS A sample of 64 patients which 47 belonging to negative retest group and 17 belonging to positive retest. Performed the maneuver in all patients, the retest presented 51.85% sensitivity, 91.89% specificity, 82.35% positive predictive value and 72.34% negative predictive value. CONCLUSION The study shows that doing the retest after repositioning maneuver of particles in BPPV is effectual, since it has high specificity.