Abstract:Objective To explore the effects of vestibular rehabilitation combined with pharmacotherapy on recovery of vestibular function and oxidative stress levels in patients with acute vestibular neuritis.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 106 patients with acute vestibular neuritis treated at Guoyao Dongfeng General Hospital from September 2021 to November 2023. Patients were divided into the combination group (n = 53) and the medication group (n = 53) according to treatment. The medication group received conventional drug therapy and basic vestibular rehabilitation guidance, the combination group received vestibular rehabilitation exercises in addition to the regimen used in the medication group. The clinical efficacy, vestibular function [slow-phase velocity of spontaneous nystagmus (SN-SPV), canal paresis value (CP), directional preponderance (DP), cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP)], vestibular symptoms [Vestibular Activities of Daily Living Scale (VADL), Berg balance scale (BBS), dizziness handicap inventory (DHI)], oxidative stress response [superoxide dismutase (SOD), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), glutathione (GSH)], and quality of life [World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)] were compared between the two groups.Results The total effective rate in the combination group was significantly higher than that in the medication group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the combination group exhibited significantly lower values of SN-SPV, CP, DP, p1 latency, and n1 latency, as well as a significantly higher p1-n1 amplitude compared with the medication group (all P < 0.05). Moreover, the pre-to-post treatment differences (Δ values) in SN-SPV, CP, DP, p1 latency, n1 latency, and p1-n1 amplitude were all significantly greater in the combination group than in the medication group (all P < 0.05). Regarding oxidative stress markers, the combination group showed significantly higher levels of SOD, 25(OH)D3, and GSH, and a significantly lower level of 8-OHdG compared with the medication group after treatment (all P < 0.05). The pre-to-post treatment differences in SOD, 25(OH)D3, 8-OHdG, and GSH were also significantly greater in the combination group than in the medication group (all P < 0.05). In terms of functional assessments, the combination group achieved a significantly higher BBS score and significantly lower VADL and DHI scores compared with the medication group after treatment (all P < 0.05). The pre-to-post treatment differences in VADL, DHI, and BBS scores were all significantly greater in the combination group than in the medication group (all P < 0.05). Regarding quality of life, the combination group had significantly higher scores in the physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental domains compared with the medication group after treatment (all P < 0.05). The pre-to-post treatment differences in these four domain scores were also significantly greater in the combination group than in the medication group (all P < 0.05).Conclusion Vestibular rehabilitation combined with drug therapy significantly improves vestibular function and decreases oxidative stress levels, and improves quality of life in patients with acute vestibular neuritis.