Analysis of the relationship between vertebral artery hypoplasia and vertigo with vascular ultrasonography

Objective To investigate the relationship between vertebral artery hypoplasia and the occurrence of vertigo. Methods A total of 288 patients with unilateral vertebral artery hypoplasia ( hypoplasia group) were recruited. They were divided into either a vertigo group ( n=201 ) or a non-vertigo group (n =87). Color Doppler flow image (CDFI) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) were used to analyze the relationship between vertebral artery hypoplasia and vertigo. Results ①The overall incidence of vertigo in patients with vertebral artery hypoplasia was 69.8% (201/288) among them, the vertebral artery diameter ≤2.0 mm in 61 patients, the incidence of vertigo was 83.6% (51/61); the vertebral artery diameter 2.0 - 2.5 mm in 227 patients, the incidence of vertigo was 66.1% (150/227) (P = 0. 008). ②The ipsilateral vertebral artery diameters in the vertigo and non-vertigo groups were 2.18 ± 0.21 mm and 2.27 ± 0.17 mm, respectively, and the contralateral vertebral artery diameters were 3.54 ± 0.46 mm and 3.03 ± 0.27 mm, respectively. P 0.01 all. The peak systolic velocity at the intervertebral segment and intracranial segment of ipsilateral vertebral artery in the vertigo group were 51 ± 10 cm/s and 49 ±9 cm/s, respectively, and in the non-vertigo group were 54 ± 11 cm/s and 52 ± 10 cm/s, respectively. There was a statistical difference between the two groups (P 0.05 all). The peak systolic velocity at the ipsilateral intracranial segment in the vertigo group was significantly lower than that at the intervertebral segment (P 0. 05) , and there was no significant difference in the non-vertigo group. Among the patients with vertebral artery hypoplasia, the incidences of vertigo were 47.6% , 67.2% , and 80.5% respectively in patients aged 21 - 39 years, 40 - 59 years, and 60 - 81 years (χ~2 = 10. 157, P 0.01). Conclusion Vertigo is closely related to vertebral artery hypoplasia. The hemodynamic change cause by the thin diameter of vertebral artery is the important reason for vertigo.