Burning Mouth Syndrome: open trial of psychotherapy alone, medication with alpha-lipoic acid (thioctic acid), and combination therapy.
OBJECTIVE
This open study of 192 otherwise healthy persons with burning mouth syndrome, examined the efficacy on control of symptoms of psychotherapy alone with two hour sessions weekly for two months; alpha lipoic acid (ALA, tioctic acid; Tiobec) 600 mg/day alone for two months; or combination therapy of psychoanalysis and 600 mg/day ALA for two months. Controls received placebo alone.


RESULTS
Most benefit was obtained with combination therapy. Combination therapy of psychoanalysis and alpha lipoic acid (ALA, tioctic acid; Tiobec. 600 mg/day) for two months gave most benefit and significantly more than psychoanalysis alone for two 1 hour sessions weekly for two months (p<0.0005), or ALA 600 mg/day alone for two months (p<0.0005).


CONCLUSIONS
The present results suggest that alpha lipoic acid may complement psychotherapy and can be an acceptable alternative to psychoactive agents, but trials to compare the two approaches are now warranted.
Femiano
Felice
F
Inmunopatología oral, Eastman Dental Institute, Londres.
Gombos
Fernando
F
Scully
Crispian
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000975:Antioxidants; D008063:Thioctic Acid