title: The effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial using (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigate the effect of acupuncture on brain perfusion using ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography ((99m)Tc-ECD SPECT) in patients with tinnitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This randomized, single-blind, sham-control study examined patients (18-60 years old) with normal hearing and chronic, idiopathic, continuous tinnitus. Fifty-seven subjects were randomly assigned to true (n = 30) or sham (n = 27) acupuncture (ACP); (99m)Tc-ECD SPECT examinations were performed before and after 12 twice-weekly ACP sessions. Secondary outcomes included changes in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Imaging data were analysed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM8) software. Regression models were used to examine secondary outcomes via two paradigms: intention-to-treat (ITT; where multiple imputations were conducted because of study attrition) and complete cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No between-group brain perfusion differences were observed. However, a significant improvement in THI scores was observed at the end of true ACP treatment for all domains (all p values < 0.01) except the catastrophic scale.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACP might reduce the effects of tinnitus on daily life; however, additional studies should be conducted to verify the effects of ACP on the neural architecture and brain function of tinnitus patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Efficacy of acupuncture on brain perfusion and symptoms of tinnitus patients. • Acupuncture improved the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scores in tinnitus patients. • No significant changes in brain perfusion were observed after 12 twice-weekly sessions. • Perfusion changes would reflect changes in neuronal function.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maura Regina
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Laureano
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia de Cabeça e Pescoço, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Pedro de Toledo, 947, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, 04039-032, Brasil. ektor.onishi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ektor Tsuneo
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.|Instituto do Cérebro - Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Affonseca
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bressan
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Pedro Braga
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.affiliation: Seção de Medicina Nuclear, Departamento de Radiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Mario Luiz Vieira
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Castiglioni
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.|Instituto do Cérebro - Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ilza Rosa
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.|Instituto do Cérebro - Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Marilia Alves
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Michele Vargas
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Adriana Neves
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maura Lígia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Hugo Cogo
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Roberta Ribeiro
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Western Australian Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
authors.forename: Griselda Jara
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas (LiNC), Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: Andrea Parolin
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Jackowski
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D003553:Cystine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013667:Technetium; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000628:therapy*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C541351:ethyl cysteinate dimer; D003553:Cystine; D013667:Technetium
keywords: Acupuncture; Clinical trial; Hearing; Single-photon emission computerized tomography; Tinnitus