[The efficacy of trimetazidine in cochleovestibular disorders of ischemic origin. A crossover control versus placebo trial].

In order to assess the efficacy of trimetazidine in the treatment of ischemia-related cochleovestibular disorders, we carried out a double-blind placebo-controlled study with crossover. Each treatment period spanned 2 months, during which the patients were given either trimetazidine (20 mg tid) or placebo, following a two-week washout period. Enrolled in the study were 45 patients (aged 32 to 69 years) presenting cochleovestibular symptoms (tinnitus, vertigo, hearing loss). Tinnitus occurred in 99.7% of cases, deafness in 88.8%, and vertigo in 68.8% of cases. Pure-tone and speech audiometric data were not modified. Improvement was felt primarily with respect to subjective symptoms. The intensity of vertigo events and the duration of the spells improved much more substantially by trimetazidine and placebo, although the limited number of patients studied did not allow to reach the threshold of significance. The activity of trimetazidine was particularly apparent in relation to tinnitus. The intensity of the latter symptom as well as the degree of discomfort occasioned by it diminished more significantly with trimetazidine than placebo following a 2-month treatment period (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.02, respectively). These results underscore the therapeutical efficacy of trimetazidine in the treatment of cochleovestibular syndromes, as assessed by a rigorously controlled double-blind trial with crossover versus placebo using a reliable methodology.