Serum uric acid levels correlate with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Background and purpose Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo ( BPPV ) is a frequently encountered condition that can severely affect the quality of life. In this study, we aimed to assess the possible relations between serum uric acid ( SUA ) levels and BPPV . Methods Fifty patients with BPPV , and 40 age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects were enrolled in the study. All the patients and controls underwent a complete audio‐vestibular test battery including the Dix–Hallpike maneuver and supine roll test for posterior semicircular canal ( PSC ) and horizontal semicircular canal, respectively. Routine hematological and biochemical analyses were performed in both groups. In the BPPV group, measurements of SUA levels were repeated 1 month after the vertigo attack. Results The lipid profiles and SUA levels were higher in patients with BPPV than detected in controls ( P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.001, respectively). Albumin and SUA values were independently associated with BPPV in multiple logistic regression models ( P  < 0.05 and P  < 0.001, respectively). A cutoff value of 4 for SUA level with a sensitivity of 0.72 (0.58–0.84) and a specificity of 0.60 (0.43–0.75) was obtained in the receiver operating characteristic analyses. There was a significant decrement in SUA level 1 month after the vertigo attack compared with the values obtained during the attack ( P  < 0.001). Among the most involved type of BPPV ( PSC BPPV ), the right side was affected in 26 patients (57.8%) and the left side in 19 patients (42.2%). SUA levels did not differ statistically in patients with PSC BPPV for either the right or left sides ( P  > 0.05). Conclusions Elevated SUA is positively correlated with BPPV , requiring further efforts to clarify the exact mechanism.