Predicting continued dizziness after an acute peripheral vestibular disorder.

Objective: To identify individuals at risk of developing ongoing dizziness 3 months after an acute peripheral vestibular disorder episode, which is usually functionally compensated or even healed within a few weeks.

Methods: In a prospective longitudinal study, we assessed fear of bodily sensations and cognitions related to anxiety at the time of hospital admission and 3 months later in 43 patients with an episode of vestibular neuritis (VN) or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). All participants were assessed for mental disorders using a structured clinical interview.