PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Brock Organ
AU  - Hao Liu
AU  - Matthew Bromwich
TI  - An iPhone-Assisted Particle Repositioning Maneuver for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): A Prospective Randomized Study
AID  - 10.3122/jabfm.2015.01.120295
DP  - 2015 Jan 01
TA  - The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
PG  - 118--120
VI  - 28
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/28/1/118.short
4100  - http://www.jabfm.org/content/28/1/118.full
SO  - J Am Board Fam Med2015 Jan 01; 28
AB  - Purpose: The Epley particle repositioning maneuver (PRM) is an effective treatment for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common cause of peripheral vertigo in primary care settings. The goal of this study was to determine whether the use of an iPhone application (DizzyFIX; Clearwater Clinical Ltd, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) by medical students had a significant impact on the performance of the PRM.Methods: We recruited senior medical students who had previously been trained in the management of BPPV and asked them to perform the PRM on a healthy volunteer. One half of the students used a real iPhone application, whereas the others used a sham application. The PRM performance scores of the 2 groups were compared.Results: iPhone application users scored significantly higher on their PRM performance compared with controls (P < .0001) and performed the PRM significantly more slowly (P < .0001).Conclusions: Senior medical students performed a more correct PRM when assisted by the iPhone application. This application represents a significant improvement from standard medical school training using written instructions. Family physicians could also use this iPhone application for the quick and effective treatment of BPPV.