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Zhang HW, Yeung KNK, Tong MCF, Lin ZX, Chang WWT, Ng IHY, Sum CH, Leung KC, Chan KL, Ngan K, Tong TJ. A Chinese Medicine Formula (Bushen Huoxue Tongluo) for the Treatment of Chronic Subjective Tinnitus: A Study Protocol for a Pilot, Assessor-Blinded, Randomized Clinical Trial. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:844730. [PMID: 35431960 PMCID: PMC9006145 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.844730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Tinnitus is a common problem worldwide. There is still no effective method to cure it. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) may be a potentially effective treatment approach for tinnitus. However, there is still no clinical trial with scientifically rigorous methodology to evaluate the treatment effect of TCM for tinnitus. Therefore, we propose a pilot study to inform the feasibility of a future full-scale RCT to establish the efficacy of TCM formula for tinnitus. Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of a full-scale RCT and explore whether a TCM formula (BHT) has an additional effect on improving tinnitus when compared to informative counseling alone. Design: An assessor-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial is used. Participants: Twenty-four patients with chronic subjective tinnitus will be enrolled. Interventions: The patients will be allocated randomly to receive a TCM formula (BHT, Bushen Huoxue Tongluo) and informative counseling or informative counseling alone. The oral BHT herbal granules will be taken twice per day continuously for 8 weeks. Main outcome measures: The primary outcomes include recruitment rate, intervention completion rate, and data completion rate to evaluate the feasibility. The secondary outcomes include Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, tinnitus functional index, tinnitus sensation level, self-rated visual analogue scale on tinnitus loudness and annoyance, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and adverse event. The outcome measures will be collected at baseline, end of treatment, and 4-week follow-up. Discussion: This trial is currently ongoing and is recruiting patients. The expected study results will find some preliminary evidence about the clinical effectiveness of BHT on chronic tinnitus and will also determine if it is feasible to conduct a full-scale RCT of BHT and identify the necessary changes to the protocol if possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wei Zhang
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kammy N. K. Yeung
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michael C. F. Tong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhi-Xiu Lin
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Waitsz W. T. Chang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Iris H-Y. Ng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi Him Sum
- Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ka Chun Leung
- Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kam Leung Chan
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kit Ngan
- Prime & Naturals Clinic, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tie Jun Tong
- Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
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