Background Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is the most common peripheral vestibular disorder. It represents a considerable burden to affected patients experiencing functional, physical, and emotional handicap. The Epley maneuver is recognized as a first-line intervention for treating BPPV, and for resolving the objective clinical signs of the posterior canal variant. Yet, a quantitative summary of the Epley maneuver’s effect on subjectively-perceived patient disability, as operationalized by the Dizziness Handicap Index, is not readily available. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Epley maneuver relative to sham or no-treatment controls, on DHI outcomes among adult participants with posterior canal BPPV.

Methods An extensive systematic search was executed in several electronic databases, namely, PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and a manual search for pertinent grey literature. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included which compared Epley maneuver versus sham Epley maneuver or sham maneuver versus no-treatment control groups in adult subjects diagnosed with posterior canal BPPV. The primary outcome was the difference in DHI score changes from baseline. Data extraction was independently performed by two authors, and the risk of bias for each included study was examined using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool. Mean and standard deviation were obtained by valid statistical methods for studies that reported median and interquartile range. The mean difference (MD) in the change of DHI scores were pooled using the random-effects approach.

Results The search process identified four RCTs that met the eligibility criteria, including a total of 266 participants (133 participants in the Epley’s maneuver condition and 133 participants in the control condition). The results showed that the Epley’s maneuver produced a statically significant and clinically important greater decrease in the DHI scores than the control conditions. There was significant heterogeneity across the studies (I2=78%; p=0.0008). The mean difference showing that the Epley’s maneuver was superior to the control conditions was equal to −19.55 points (95% Confidence Interval [CI] −28.15 to −10.95; p<0.0001). The results of a sensitivity analysis without studies with some concerns regarding bias were consistent with the primary analysis. A visual analysis of the funnel plot and Egger’s test results (p = 0.25) indicated an absence of actual publication bias.

Conclusion Strong quantitative evidence is provided by this meta-analysis suggesting that the Epley maneuver is an efficacious therapeutic option to diminish the self-perceived handicap of patients with posterior canal BPPV. DHI score gain exceeded the minimum clinically important difference, providing support to the positive impact of this procedure on patients’ quality of life. These results further support the recommendation of the Epley maneuver as a key component of the therapeutic approach to this frequent and disabling disorder.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

This study did not receive any funding. The authors are listed as Independent Researchers.

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The data for this meta-analysis were extracted from previously published randomized controlled trials (RCTs). These trials were identified through a systematic search of publicly accessible academic databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL. The specific data points, such as mean differences and standard deviations for the Dizziness Handicap Index (DHI) scores, were taken from the final publications of the included studies. The original data sources are the following published articles: Bruintjes et al. (2014): A randomised sham-controlled trial to assess the long-term effect of the Epley manoeuvre for treatment of posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Clinical Otolaryngology, 39(5), 289-295. Located at: https://doi.org/10.1111/coa.12217 Carrillo-Munoz et al. (2021): A single Epley manoeuvre can improve self-perceptions of disability (quality of life) in patients with pc-BPPV: A randomised controlled trial in primary care. Patient Education and Counseling, 104(5), 1049-1056. Located at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2021.102077 Uz et al. (2019): Efficacy of epley maneuver on quality of life of elderly patients with subjective BPPV. The Journal of International Advanced Otology, 15(2), 263-266. Located at: https://doi.org/10.5152/iao.2019.5935

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