Relief of idiopathic subjective tinnitus: is gabapentin effective?

OBJECTIVE

To assess the therapeutic benefit of gabapentin (Neurontin) for subjective idiopathic troublesome tinnitus.

DESIGN

An 8-week, double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

SETTING

Academic otolaryngology clinic in St Louis, Mo.

SUBJECTS

One hundred thirty-five subjects with severe idiopathic subjective tinnitus of 6 months' duration or longer.

INTERVENTION

Gabapentin, at a maintenance dosage of 900 to 3600 mg/d for 8 weeks, or lactose placebo.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Change in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score from baseline to the study end point.

RESULTS

The overall change in the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory score for the entire cohort from baseline to week 8 was 11.2; the change among the 59 subjects randomized to the gabapentin arm was 11.3 and the change among the 56 subjects in the placebo arm was 11.0. The difference was 0.03 (95% confidence interval, -5.5 to 6.2; P = .91).

CONCLUSION

Gabapentin is no more effective than placebo for the relief of idiopathic subjective tinnitus.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00317850.