Tinnitus treatment with acamprosate: double-blind study.

UNLABELLED: Nowadays, the treatment of tinnitus is still a great challenge for the otolaryngologists. Many facts remain unknown in its pathophysiology, leading to many different therapies, with irregular results. Acamprosate is a drug used in alcoholism treatment, due to its regulating effects in glutamatergic and GABA neurotransmission, and has never been used before in the treatment of tinnitus

AIM: To evaluate efficacy and safety of the acamprosate in the treatment of sensorineural tinnitus.

STUDY

DESIGN

Randomized clinical trial.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: 50 patients with sensorineural tinnitus were divided into two groups: 25 received acamprosate and 25 placebo, for a period of 3 months, in a prospective double-blind study, being analyzed for its efficacy and safety by the subjective score from 1 to 10 given by the patient.

RESULTS

We found a high index of success in the relief of tinnitus, about 86.9%. In 47.8% of the cases we found more than 50% relief. The incidence of side effects was low, 12%, all of them mild.

CONCLUSION

Acamprosate, a drug used in the treatment of alcoholism, is a safe and successful alternative for sensorineural tinnitus' treatment.