[The European Evaluation of Vertigo (EEV) scale: a clinical validation study]

Abstract

Up until now, the questionnaires used to evaluate vertigo have been self-administered questionnaires that rate either symptoms and/or their consequences. In contrast, the European Evaluation of Vertigo scale (EEV) is a physician-administered questionnaire that only assesses symptoms of the vestibular syndrome: illusion of movement, duration of illusion, motion intolerance, neurovegetative signs, and instability. Twenty-six ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists participated in this validation study conducted among 123 patients suffering from different types of vertigo. The reliability, responsiveness and construct, convergent and discriminant validity of the EEV scale were assessed. Construct, convergent and discriminant validity was determined by comparing the scores on the EEV scale with those obtained using the following validated scales: patient diary and conventional scale designed by the DPHM, functional scale of the AAO-HNS, and SF-36 scale, a generic quality of life scale. With the exception of the "neurovegetative signs" item, the reliability of the EEV scale is good, particularly in terms of interrater reliability (r = 0.93 for the global score), and responsiveness is high (p < 0.01). EEV scale has good correlations with the items of patient diary, DPHM scale and "physical" dimensions of SF-36, from the first evaluation, whereas this scale has poor correlation at Day 0, with the items of AAO scale and the "psychological" dimensions of SF-36. These results confirm that EEV scale is exclusively a symptomatic scale and does not interfere with the psychism. The EEV scale is therefore a validated physician-administered questionnaire capable of monitoring the course of vertigo and of assessing the efficacy of anti-vertigo treatments.