Relief of idiopathic subjective tinnitus: is gabapentin effective?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the therapeutic benefit of gabapentin (Neurontin) for subjective idiopathic troublesome tinnitus.


METHODS
An 8-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.


METHODS
Academic otolaryngology clinic in St Louis, Mo.


METHODS
One hundred thirty-five subjects with severe idiopathic subjective tinnitus of 6 months' duration or longer.


METHODS
Gabapentin, at a maintenance dosage of 900 to 3600 mg/d for 8 weeks, or lactose placebo.


METHODS
Change in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score from baseline to the study end point.


RESULTS
The overall change in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score for the entire cohort from baseline to week 8 was 11.2; the change among the 59 subjects randomized to the gabapentin arm was 11.3 and the change among the 56 subjects in the placebo arm was 11.0. The difference was 0.03 (95% confidence interval, -5.5 to 6.2; P = .91).


CONCLUSIONS
Gabapentin is no more effective than placebo for the relief of idiopathic subjective tinnitus.


BACKGROUND
clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00317850.
Piccirillo
Jay F
JF
Division of Clinical Outcomes Research, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA. piccirilloj@ent.wustl.edu
Finnell
Joshua
J
Vlahiotis
Anna
A
Chole
Richard A
RA
Spitznagel
Edward
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000588:Amines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000588:Amines; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin