title: Efficacy of adjuvant Chinese herbal formula treatment for chronic tinnitus: a retrospective observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of using western anti-tinnitus therapy with or without Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang (CHJLGMLT) to treat patients with chronic tinnitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive case series with chart review was established to compare patients with chronic tinnitus who had received CHJLGMLT with western anti-tinnitus therapy (the CHJLGMIT group) with those who received western anti-tinnitus therapy alone (the non-CHJLGMIT group). We included 21 patients, 10 patients in the CHJLGMIT group with CHJLGMLT and 11 patients in the non-CHJLGMIT group. Both groups were comparable in terms of patient demographics and clinical characteristics. The follow-up examinations included the assessment of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of 0-10 for tinnitus intensity, pure tone audiometry (PTA), and speech reception threshold (SRT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 2 months of treatment, THI and PSQI scores were reduced significantly more in the CHJLGMIT group (p<0.05) than in the non-CHJLGMIT group. Scores on the emotional subscale of the THI were significantly reduced in the CHJLGMIT group (p<0.05) after treatment, but the effects on the seven PSQI subscales did not differ significantly between the two groups (p>0.05). Scores on the VAS for tinnitus loudness were significantly reduced in both groups (p<0.05). No significant differences between the two groups were found on the binaural hearing tests (PTA and SRT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study found that adjuvant CHJLGMLT therapy for chronic tinnitus may exert additional efficacy by improving psychological sensation of tinnitus and sleep quality. Future randomized controlled double-blind studies should be performed to elucidate its efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Hualien 981, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-En
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Departments of Otolaryngology and Chinese Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying 73663, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hao-Chang
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Departments of Otolaryngology and Chinese Medicine, Chi Mei Medical Center, Liouying 73663, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital and School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Chuen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan; Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 83301, Taiwan. Electronic address: missuriae@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Ming-Yen
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Chai-Hu-Jia-Long-Gu-Mu-Li-Tang; Chinese herbal medicine; Retrospective study; Tinnitus