Effect of atorvastatin on progression of sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus in the elderly: results of a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl- coenzyme A reductase inhibitor atorvastatin can slow down the progression of presbycusis.


METHODS
Fifty patients 60- to 75-years-old with presbycusis and moderately elevated serum cholesterol.


METHODS
In a double-blind design, patients were randomly assigned to treatment with either atorvastatin (40 mg/d orally) or placebo.


METHODS
Pure-tone audiometry and tinnitus evaluation at enrolment and after 7 and 13 months.


RESULTS
Development of hearing thresholds after 7 and 13 months showed no significant differences between the groups. Tinnitus score continuously improved in the atorvastatin group (34.8 at 7 and 27.6 at 13 mo), whereas it slightly deteriorated in the placebo group (24.8 at 7 and 26.8 at 13 mo). The effect on tinnitus was a tendency without statistic significance (p = 0.0833).


CONCLUSIONS
Atorvastatin had no effect on the development of hearing thresholds, but resulted in a trend toward a relief of tinnitus.
Olzowy
Bernhard
B
Klinik und Poliklinik für Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenheilkunde der Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, München, Germany. bernhard.olzowy@med.uni-muenchen.de
Canis
Martin
M
Hempel
John-Martin
JM
Mazurek
Birgit
B
Suckfüll
Markus
M
D000368:Aged; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D001299:Audiometry; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011304:Presbycusis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013067:Speech Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin