Mal de Debarquement

Objectives: To better define mal de debarquement ("sickness of disembarkmen t") syndrome, to understand the etiology or mechanism of this disorder, and to seek better prevention and treatment options for this disorder. Design: Patient survey of clinical features. Setting: Participants were recruited via advertisement in the newsletter of the Vestibular Disorders Association, Portland, Ore. Patients: Twenty-seven individuals with mal de debarquement syndrome were i dentified. To be;included in the study, patients must have experienced at l east 1 month of rocking or swaying following a cruise or airplane trip of a t least 4 hours in duration. Intervention: A questionnaire was administered. Main Outcome Measurer Clinical features of mal de debarquement syndrome. Results: Nearly all respondents were middle-aged women (26 of 27; mean age, 49.3 years). The duration of symptoms ranged from 6 months to 10 years (me an, 3.5 years; SD, 2.5 years). The symptoms were constant in 23 (85%) patie nts. Neither meclizine hydrochloride nor transdermal scopolamine was helpfu l. Benzodiazepines were of the most benefit. Balance rehabilitation physica l therapy was undertaken by 15 patients, who on average reported a small be nefit. Conclusions: More than double the number of previously reported cases of ma l. de debarquement syndrome were identified by this study. The syndrome usu ally occurs in middle-aged women following an ocean cruise. Symptoms are of ten refractory to vestibular suppressants as well as physical therapy.