title: Atorvastatin in the management of tinnitus with hyperlipidemias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of atorvastatin in management of tinnitus in patients with hyperlipidemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  ENT Department, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from July 2011 to August 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety eight patients of tinnitus with sensorineural hearing loss having hyperlipidemia were included in the study. Their pre-therapy serum cholesterols were measured, and tinnitus scores were recorded on a 'Tinnitus handicap questionnaire'. They were administered tablet atorvastatin 40 mg once daily with low fat diet for 8 months. After 8 months of therapy, patients were purposefully divided into responsive and unresponsive group depending on serum cholesterol levels. Post therapy serum cholesterol levels and tinnitus scores were also recorded after 8 months and compared with pre-therapy records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum cholesterol came to within normal limits in 51 (52%) patients (responsive group), while it remained high in 47 (48%) patients (unresponsive group). Improvement in tinnitus score in the responsive group was seen in 36 (70.5%) patients and in 2 (4.2%) patients of the unresponsive group. Improvement in tinnitus scores was compared in the two groups using Fisher's exact test and were found to be statistically better in the responsive group (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tinnitus, in patients having hyperlipidemia, can be successfully dealt with by treating hyperlipidemia with lipid lowering agent atorvastatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Mirza Khizer
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hameed
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Zeeshan Ayub
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Azeema
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi.
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Najam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069059:Atorvastatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D002784:Cholesterol; D000069059:Atorvastatin