Zinc therapy of acetazolamide-induced side-effects.

A double-blind cross-over trial extending over 4 weeks with administration of 0.2 g zinc sulphate 3 times daily and a placebo was carried out on 12 patients having grave acetazolamide-induced side-effects manifesting themselves as gustatory disorder, anorexia, and paraesthesia. All the patients had S-zinc levels within the normal range. These rose during zinc therapy periods, to fall again within placebo periods. Recording of the degrees of subjective side-effects based on interviews showed the side-effects to abate towards the conclusion of the trial period, independently of the randomizing programme. In other words, no significant difference was demonstrable between zinc period and placebo period. Taste tests according to Börnstein showed the gustatory disorders to be related exclusively to beverages containing carbon dioxide. However, in no more than 3 out of 10 patients did the gustatory sense return to normal after administration of zinc and one after placebo. Thus, this controlled trial has not served to disclose any statistically significant effect of zinc administration on acetazolamide-induced side-effects.