Association between vitamin D deficiency and vertigo/dizziness symptoms – Results from the KORA FF4 study

Introduction:

Investigations of comorbidities in patients with vertigo or dizziness detected a higher prevalence of osteoporosis, leading to the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for vertigo. Up to now however, benefits of vitamin D supplementation were only reported in persons suffering from benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). The aim of this study is to investigate the association between vitamin D deficiency and different vertigo types.

Methods:

Data originate from the second follow-up (FF4) conducted in 2013/14 of the KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg)-S4 study (baseline examination: 1999 – 2001) from Southern Germany. Vitamin D deficiency was defined as total 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations below 30 ng/ml. Vertigo types were categorised by a diagnostic algorithm developed on patients with verified diagnoses in a tertiary outpatient dizziness clinic.

Results:

A total of 2234 participants (mean age 60.2 years, 51.3% female) were eligible for this analysis. Mean total 25(OH)D level was 24.9 (SD 12.2) ng/ml. Vitamin D deficiency was present in 1566 patients (69.2%). Any vertigo or dizziness symptoms were present in 527 persons (23.6%). Using the algorithm, prevalence of specific vertigo types were as follows: BPPV 12.6%, Menieré's disease 3.2%, vestibular migraine 3.0%, phobic postural vertigo 1.7%. Associations between vitamin D deficiency and vertigo/dizziness symptoms were not significant for the combined endpoint of all vertigo/dizziness symptoms (OR = 1.24, CI =(0.99; 1.54)), and for specific subgroups: BPPV (OR = 1.18, CI =(0.89; 1.56)), Menieré's disease (OR = 1.56, CI =(0.89; 2.73)), vestibular migraine (OR = 1.56, CI =(0.87; 2.80)), phobic postural vertigo (OR = 0.89, CI =(0.45; 1.74)).

Conclusions:

We could not show a significant association of the vitamin D level with different types of vertigo/dizziness symptoms.