People with diabetes have an increased risk of falls, potentially related to impaired postural control, peripheral neuropathy, and vestibular dysfunction. This secondary fall-focused analysis examined whether video head impulse test (vHIT) and computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) measures were associated with previous self-reported falls in the DIAFALL cohort.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Preliminary cross-sectional data; no causal inference possible. Audiologists and vestibular specialists working with diabetic patients may consider these tests as part of a fall-risk screen, but practice change is not yet warranted pending controlled longitudinal studies.
Vestibular dysfunction is an underappreciated complication of diabetes, and identifying reliable objective fall-risk markers in this population could meaningfully reduce injury burden.
- 01Cross-sectional design exploring vHIT and CDP as fall-risk markers in people with diabetes.
- 02Diabetes can impair the vestibular (inner-ear balance) system through nerve and vascular damage.
- 03Self-reported falls were used as the primary real-world outcome measure.
- 04Exploratory design means findings are hypothesis-generating, not confirmatory.
- 05Results may inform future prospective studies on vestibular screening in diabetic clinics.
Video head impulse test (vHIT) and computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) are associated with self-reported falls and postural control in people with diabetes.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42867656
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00405-026-10724-9.
- Journal
- European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 3
- Population
- People with diabetes
- Intervention
- Video head impulse test (vHIT) and computerized dynamic posturography (CDP)
Primary outcomes
Self-reported falls; Postural control measures