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Bernal-Robledano A, Perez-Carpena P, Kikidis D, Mazurek B, Schoisswohl S, Staudinger S, Langguth B, Schlee W, Lopez-Escamez JA. Cognitive Screening and Hearing Assessment in Patients With Chronic Tinnitus. Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol 2024; 17:15-25. [PMID: 37974057 PMCID: PMC10933812 DOI: 10.21053/ceo.2023.00808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study aimed to assess the relationship of tinnitus with hyperacusis with cognitive impairment as indicated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) tool. METHODS This multicenter cross-sectional study included individuals with chronic tinnitus from the "Unification of Treatments and Interventions for Tinnitus Patients" (UNITI) database. Participants were recruited from four different tertiary clinical centers located in Athens and Granada (Mediterranean group), as well as Berlin and Regensburg (German group). In total, 380 individuals with a diagnosis of non-pulsatile chronic tinnitus (permanent and constant tinnitus lasting more than 6 months) and no evidence of severe cognitive impairment (MoCA score >22) were enrolled. The evaluation utilized the following tools: MoCA, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Hyperacusis Questionnaire (GÜF), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the European School for Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research Screening Questionnaire. RESULTS MoCA scores differed between German and Mediterranean individuals (P<0.01), necessitating separate analyses for each group. In both cohorts, MoCA scores were significantly associated with education level, age, hearing threshold at 8 kHz, and THI. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between PHQ-9 scores and both THI and GÜF (P<0.01 for both Germans and those from the Mediterranean). CONCLUSION Our data suggest an association between tinnitus handicap, high-frequency hearing loss, and mild cognitive impairment. Additionally, PHQ-9 scores were associated with tinnitus and hyperacusis scores, independent of hearing loss thresholds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Bernal-Robledano
- Otology and Neurotology Group CTS495, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs. Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sensorineural Pathology Programme, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Perez-Carpena
- Otology and Neurotology Group CTS495, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs. Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sensorineural Pathology Programme, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain
| | - Dimitris Kikidis
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hippocrateion General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Birgit Mazurek
- Charité‒Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Tinnitus Center, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Schoisswohl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Human Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Susanne Staudinger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Berthold Langguth
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute for Information and Process Management, Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Jose Antonio Lopez-Escamez
- Otology and Neurotology Group CTS495, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs. Granada, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Division of Otolaryngology, Department of Surgery, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Sensorineural Pathology Programme, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras, CIBERER, Madrid, Spain
- Meniere’s Disease Neuroscience Research Program, Faculty of Medicine and Health, School of Medical Sciences, The Kolling Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Sommerhalder N, Neff P, Bureš Z, Profant O, Kleinjung T, Meyer M. Deficient central mechanisms in tinnitus: Exploring the impact on speech comprehension and executive functions. Hear Res 2023; 440:108914. [PMID: 37979435 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Many individuals with chronic subjective tinnitus report significant problems in comprehending speech in adverse listening situations. A large body of studies has provided evidence to support the notion that deficits in speech-in-noise (SIN) are prevalent in the tinnitus population, while some studies have challenged these findings. Elemental auditory perception is usually only minimally or not impaired. In addition, deficits in cognitive functions, particularly executive functions, have also been observed in individuals with tinnitus. Given these previous findings, we theorize that deficient central mechanisms may be responsible for the reported speech comprehension problems in tinnitus. 25 participants suffering from chronic subjective tinnitus and 25 control participants, between 23 and 58 years of age, were examined in a cross-sectional design. The groups were case-matched for age, sex, education, and hearing loss. A large audiometric battery was used ranging from threshold and supra-threshold tasks to spoken sentence level speech tasks. Additionally, four cognitive tests were performed, primarily covering the area of executive functions. Tinnitometry and tinnitus-related questionnaires were applied to complement sample description and allow for secondary analyses. We hypothesized that tinnitus participants score lower in complex speech comprehension tasks and executive function tasks compared to healthy controls, while no group differences in elementary audiometric tasks were expected. As expected, individuals with chronic subjective tinnitus scored lower in the SIN and gated speech task, while there were no differences in the basic speech recognition threshold task and the other elementary auditory perception tasks. The cognitive tests revealed clear deficits in interference control in the Stroop task, but not in the Flanker task, in the tinnitus group. There were no differences in inhibition or working memory tasks. Our results clearly delineate differences between tinnitus individuals and control participants in two tests on speech intelligibility under adverse listening conditions. Further, the poorer performance in a task of interference control in individuals with tinnitus points towards an impaired central executive control in individuals with tinnitus. Taken together, our (partly) exploratory study provides novel evidence to the view that deficient central executive system in individuals with tinnitus probably account for impaired speech comprehension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nick Sommerhalder
- Evolutionary Neuroscience of Language, Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Patrick Neff
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Zbyněk Bureš
- Department of Cognitive Systems and Neurosciences, Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cybernetics, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Oliver Profant
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Auditory Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tobias Kleinjung
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Meyer
- Evolutionary Neuroscience of Language, Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Cognitive Psychology Unit, Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt, Austria
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Sendesen E, Kılıç S, Erbil N, Aydın Ö, Turkyilmaz D. An Exploratory Study of the Effect of Tinnitus on Listening Effort Using EEG and Pupillometry. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2023; 169:1259-1267. [PMID: 37172313 DOI: 10.1002/ohn.367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous behavioral studies on listening effort in tinnitus patients did not consider extended high-frequency hearing thresholds and had conflicting results. This inconsistency may be related that listening effort is not evaluated by the central nervous system (CNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS), which are directly related to tinnitus pathophysiology. This study matches hearing thresholds at all frequencies, including the extended high-frequency and reduces hearing loss to objectively evaluate listening effort over the CNS and ANS simultaneously in tinnitus patients. STUDY DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING University hospital. METHODS Sixteen chronic tinnitus patients and 23 matched healthy controls having normal pure-tone averages with symmetrical hearing thresholds were included. Subjects were evaluated with 0.125 to 20 kHz pure-tone audiometry, Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), electroencephalography (EEG), and pupillometry. RESULTS Pupil dilation and EEG alpha band in the "coding" phase of the sentence presented in tinnitus patients was less than in the control group (p < .05). VAS score was higher in the tinnitus group (p < .01). Also, there was no statistically significant relationship between EEG and pupillometry components and THI or MoCA (p > .05). CONCLUSION This study suggests that tinnitus patients may need to make an extra effort to listen. Also, pupillometry may not be sufficiently reliable to assess listening effort in ANS-related pathologies. Considering the possible listening difficulties in tinnitus patients, reducing the listening difficulties, especially in noisy environments, can be added to the goals of tinnitus therapy protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eser Sendesen
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Samet Kılıç
- Department of Audiology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nurhan Erbil
- Department of Biophysics, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Özgür Aydın
- Department of Biophysics, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
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Mazurek B, Böcking B, Dobel C, Rose M, Brüggemann P. Tinnitus and Influencing Comorbidities. Laryngorhinootologie 2023; 102:S50-S58. [PMID: 37130530 PMCID: PMC10184670 DOI: 10.1055/a-1950-6149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies show that impairments in chronic tinnitus are closely connected with psychosomatic and other concomitant symptoms. This overview summarizes some of these studies. Beyond hearing loss, individual interactions of medical and psychosocial stress factors as well as resources are of central importance. Tinnitus related distress reflects a large number of intercorrelated, psychosomatic influences - such as personality traits, stress reactivity and depression or anxiety - which can be accompanied by cognitive difficulties and should be conceptualized and assessed within a vulnerability-stress-reaction model. Superordinate factors such as age, gender or education level can increase vulnerability to stress. Therefore, diagnosis and therapy of chronic tinnitus be individualised, multidimensional and interdisciplinary. Multimodal psychosomatic therapy approaches aim to address individually constellated medical, audiological and psychological influences in order to sustainably increase the quality of life of those affected. Counselling in the first contact is also indispensable for diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birgit Mazurek
- Tinnituszentrum, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin
| | | | - Christian Dobel
- Klinik und Poliklinik für HNO-Heilkunde, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena
| | - Matthias Rose
- Medizinische Klinik m. S. Psychosomatik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin
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Zhang W, Ruan J, Zhang R, Zhang M, Hu X, Han Z, Ruan Q. Association between age-related hearing loss with tinnitus and cognitive performance in older community-dwelling Chinese adults. Psychogeriatrics 2022; 22:822-832. [PMID: 36075585 DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM To examine how the severity of age-related hearing loss (ARHL) and tinnitus or the presentation of ARHL with tinnitus is associated with overall cognition, in terms of specific cognitive domains in older community-dwelling Chinese adults. METHODS The study recruited 429 participants aged ≥58 years (mean age, 72.91 ± 7.014 years; female proportion, 57.30%), excluding those with dementia, disability, and severe mental illness. Patients were classified into normal cognition, pre-mild cognitive impairment (pre-MCI), and MCI according to the normative z-scores of neuropsychological test battery. The severity of ARHL and tinnitus was measured by pure-tone audiometry and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. Cognitive impairment and low functions in specific cognitive domains were used as dependent variables in multiple regression analyses adjusted for covariates. RESULTS ARHL severity was positively associated with MCI and low executive function, delayed memory, and language function. Only individuals with mild (odds ratio (OR) 1.791; CI, 0.952-3.373; P = 0.071), and moderate and the disaster tinnitus (OR, 2.493; CI, 0.982-6.328; P = 0.055) were marginally associated with increased odds of MCI in model 1. Individuals with ARHL and tinnitus (OR, 3.888, CI = 1.481-10.205; OR, 4.471, CI = 1.636-12.219) were independently associated with high risk for MCI in models 1 and 2. CONCLUSIONS ARHL severity and the presentation of ARHL or ARHL with tinnitus were associated with overall cognition. ARHL severity was independently associated with executive function, delayed memory, and language function. The association between tinnitus severity and cognition is not clear. But the group with ARHL and tinnitus is a high-risk group with cognitive impairment. CLINICALTRIALS gov identifier: NCT2017K020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weibin Zhang
- Laboratory of Aging, Anti-aging & Cognitive Performance, Shanghai Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Clinical Geriatrics, Huadong Hospital, and Research Center of Aging and Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Ruan
- Department of Otolaryngology, Huadong Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruxin Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Huadong Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Zhang
- Laboratory of Aging, Anti-aging & Cognitive Performance, Shanghai Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Clinical Geriatrics, Huadong Hospital, and Research Center of Aging and Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiuhua Hu
- Laboratory of Aging, Anti-aging & Cognitive Performance, Shanghai Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Clinical Geriatrics, Huadong Hospital, and Research Center of Aging and Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhao Han
- Department of Otolaryngology, Huadong Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingwei Ruan
- Laboratory of Aging, Anti-aging & Cognitive Performance, Shanghai Institute of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Clinical Geriatrics, Huadong Hospital, and Research Center of Aging and Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Malfatti T, Ciralli B, Hilscher MM, Leao RN, Leao KE. Decreasing dorsal cochlear nucleus activity ameliorates noise-induced tinnitus perception in mice. BMC Biol 2022; 20:102. [PMID: 35550106 PMCID: PMC9097071 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01288-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is a region known to integrate somatosensory and auditory inputs and is identified as a potential key structure in the generation of phantom sound perception, especially noise-induced tinnitus. Yet, how altered homeostatic plasticity of the DCN induces and maintains the sensation of tinnitus is not clear. Here, we chemogenetically decrease activity of a subgroup of DCN neurons, Ca2+/Calmodulin kinase 2 α (CaMKII α)-positive DCN neurons, using Gi-coupled human M4 Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (hM4Di DREADDs), to investigate their role in noise-induced tinnitus. Results Mice were exposed to loud noise (9–11kHz, 90dBSPL, 1h, followed by 2h of silence), and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) and gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle (GPIAS) were recorded 2 days before and 2 weeks after noise exposure to identify animals with a significantly decreased inhibition of startle, indicating tinnitus but without permanent hearing loss. Neuronal activity of CaMKII α+ neurons expressing hM4Di in the DCN was lowered by administration of clozapine-N-oxide (CNO). We found that acutely decreasing firing rate of CaMKII α+ DCN units decrease tinnitus-like responses (p = 3e −3, n = 11 mice), compared to the control group that showed no improvement in GPIAS (control virus; CaMKII α-YFP + CNO, p = 0.696, n = 7 mice). Extracellular recordings confirmed CNO to decrease unit firing frequency of CaMKII α-hM4Di+ mice and alter best frequency and tuning width of response to sound. However, these effects were not seen if CNO had been previously administered during the noise exposure (n = 6 experimental and 6 control mice). Conclusion We found that lowering DCN activity in mice displaying tinnitus-related behavior reduces tinnitus, but lowering DCN activity during noise exposure does not prevent noise-induced tinnitus. Our results suggest that CaMKII α-positive cells in the DCN are not crucial for tinnitus induction but play a significant role in maintaining tinnitus perception in mice. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at (10.1186/s12915-022-01288-1).
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Affiliation(s)
- Thawann Malfatti
- Hearing and Neuronal activity Lab, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Barbara Ciralli
- Hearing and Neuronal activity Lab, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Markus M Hilscher
- Institute for Analysis and Scientific Computing, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Richardson N Leao
- Hearing and Neuronal activity Lab, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Katarina E Leao
- Hearing and Neuronal activity Lab, Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil.
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Knipper M, Mazurek B, van Dijk P, Schulze H. Too Blind to See the Elephant? Why Neuroscientists Ought to Be Interested in Tinnitus. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2021; 22:609-621. [PMID: 34686939 PMCID: PMC8599745 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-021-00815-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A curative therapy for tinnitus currently does not exist. One may actually exist but cannot currently be causally linked to tinnitus due to the lack of consistency of concepts about the neural correlate of tinnitus. Depending on predictions, these concepts would require either a suppression or enhancement of brain activity or an increase in inhibition or disinhibition. Although procedures with a potential to silence tinnitus may exist, the lack of rationale for their curative success hampers an optimization of therapeutic protocols. We discuss here six candidate contributors to tinnitus that have been suggested by a variety of scientific experts in the field and that were addressed in a virtual panel discussion at the ARO round table in February 2021. In this discussion, several potential tinnitus contributors were considered: (i) inhibitory circuits, (ii) attention, (iii) stress, (iv) unidentified sub-entities, (v) maladaptive information transmission, and (vi) minor cochlear deafferentation. Finally, (vii) some potential therapeutic approaches were discussed. The results of this discussion is reflected here in view of potential blind spots that may still remain and that have been ignored in most tinnitus literature. We strongly suggest to consider the high impact of connecting the controversial findings to unravel the whole complexity of the tinnitus phenomenon; an essential prerequisite for establishing suitable therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies Knipper
- Molecular Physiology of Hearing, Tübingen Hearing Research Centre (THRC), Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Birgit Mazurek
- Tinnitus Center Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pim van Dijk
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Graduate School of Medical Sciences (Research School of Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Holger Schulze
- Experimental Otolaryngology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Waldstrasse 1, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
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Saberi A, Nemati S, Lili EK, Esmaeilpour H, Panahi R. Investigating the efficacy of fluoxetine vs. fluoxetine plus alprazolam (single therapy vs. combination therapy) in treatment of chronic tinnitus: A placebo-controlled study. Am J Otolaryngol 2021; 42:102898. [PMID: 33476973 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2020.102898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of combination therapy (fluoxetine + alprazolam) and fluoxetine alone in treatment of tinnitus. MATERIAL AND METHODS 147 participants with chronic tinnitus were divided into three groups (fluoxetine, fluoxetine+ alprazolam, and placebo). Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Tinnitus Severity Index (TSI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) used to assess tinnitus. Effect size according to partial Eta square calculated and level of significance was considered as P < 0.05. RESULTS Fluoxetine reduced VAS, THI, BDI, and increased BAI. The combination therapy significantly reduced VAS, THI, BAI, and BDI. None of them reduced the TSI. The effect size for BAI and BDI were 0.135 (medium) and 0.075 (small), respectively. There was no significant difference between combination and single-drug therapy. CONCLUSION Both groups improved THI and VAS. Combination therapy was not significantly different from single-drug treatment. Combination therapy can be considered only according to the psychiatric needs of patients.
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