Relationship between vertebral artery distortion and cervical vertigo

Objective To investigate the relationship between vertebral artery distortion and cervical vertigo.Methods Thirty-one suspected cervical vertigo patients(vertigo group) and 80 non-vertigo patients(control group) were examined with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography(DCE-MRA).Cervical straight line distance and the length of vertebral artery were measured,and the lengthening value was calculated.The degree of vertebral artery distortion was evaluated later.Results Twenty-seven patients found severe vertebral-basal arterial stenosis or obliteration by DCE-MRA were eliminated,and vertigo group was in 9 cases,control group in 18 cases.The lengthening value of bilateral carotid artery in vertigo group were significantly longer than those in control group(P 0.05-0.01).Correlation analysis showed the lengthening value of vertebral artery in left side and right side were related to cervical vertigo(r = 0.275,r = 0.255;all P 0.05).There was a positive correlation between lengthening value of vertebral artery in left side and age(r = 0.216,P = 0.027).There was a negative correlation between cervical length of vertebral artery and age(r =-0.219,P = 0.025).Conclusion Vertebral artery distortion is the result of shortened cervical length,and it is related with cervical vertigo.