Paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, reduces depressive symptoms and subjective handicaps in patients with dizziness.
OBJECTIVE
When treating dizzy patients, the psychiatric aspect should be carefully addressed regardless of whether a well-defined organic disease is present. In this prospective study, we aimed to elucidate the role of paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in the treatment of dizziness.


METHODS
Forty-seven patients who complained of dizziness were treated with 20 mg of paroxetine per day. The depressive state of the patient was evaluated by the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Treatment outcomes were measured with self-assessment of subjective handicaps in daily life using a dizziness and unsteadiness questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of five factors related to emotional or bodily dysfunction that could be affected by dizziness. Changes in Self-Rating Depression Scale scores and subjective handicaps were assessed at 4 and 8 weeks after the start of paroxetine.


RESULTS
In patients having well-defined organic diseases with high Self-Rating Depression Scale scores, paroxetine improved all five subjective handicap factors as well as Self-Rating Depression Scale scores. The decline in Self-Rating Depression Scale scores showed a significant correlation with improvement of subjective handicaps, which was related to emotional problems but not factors related to bodily dysfunction. Paroxetine was also effective for an improvement of factors related to emotional problems and Self-Rating Depression Scale scores in patients not having organic diseases but with high Self-Rating Depression Scale scores. In patients either with or without organic diseases with low Self-Rating Depression Scale scores, paroxetine had no effect on any subjective handicap factors and Self-Rating Depression Scale scores.


CONCLUSIONS
In the treatment of dizzy patients, paroxetine was effective at relieving subjective handicaps caused by dizziness, specifically, in patients with high Self-Rating Depression Scale scores.
Horii
Arata
A
Department of Otolaryngology, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan. ahorii@ent.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Mitani
Kenji
K
Kitahara
Tadashi
T
Uno
Atsuhiko
A
Takeda
Noriaki
N
Kubo
Takeshi
T
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018687:Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation; D017374:Paroxetine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors