Vertigo in military aircrew: Causes, classification and medical assessment

  Objective  To analyze the causes of vertigo symptom and its medical evaluation in military aircrew by follow-up so as to provide evidences for aeromedical assessment.

  Methods   Clinical data about 26 aircrews with vertigo symptoms admitted to PLA No. 986 Hospital of Air Force from January 2006 to December 2018 were collected, and the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment, medical evaluation and outcomes were followed up and analyzed.

  Results   All the 26 cases were male, and the age of onset ranged from 21 to 56 years (average age of 35.81±8.63 years). According to the international classification of vestibular disorders (ICVD), the 26 cases were divided into three classes of vestibular syndromes, which included 11 cases of chronic vestibular syndromes, 6 cases of episodic vestibular syndromes, and 3 cases of acute vestibular syndromes. And there were 6 cases of non-vestibular system disorders, which included 3 cases of cervicogenic dizziness and 3 cases of systemic diseases related vertigo. Etiological factors of vertigo symptom were categorized to vestibular peripheral vertigo (6 cases), vestibular central vertigo (6 cases), psychogenic dizziness (8 cases) and systemic diseases related vertigo (6 cases). Of the 26 cases, 21 cases were qualified for flying after treatment and ground observation, 5 cases were permanent grounded due to psychological reasons and long-term abnormal vestibular function.

  Conclusion   Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo are the main types of vertigo in military aircrew, and chronic vestibular syndrome is the main reason of the medical permanent grounded, which suggests that more attention should be paid to psychological intervention and vestibular rehabilitation in treatment of vertigo.