Zinc to Treat Tinnitus

[Tinnitus Talk]

Tinnitus Talk submitted a new resource:

Zinc to Treat Tinnitus (version 1.0) - To establish the effectiveness of Zinc for the treatment of tinnitus in individuals over the age 60.

There is widespread belief and some evidence to indicate that zinc can successfully treat tinnitus. Zinc deficiency is more likely to occur in the elderly . The primary objective of this study is to establish the effectiveness of zinc for the treatment of tinnitus in individuals 60 years of age and older. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either receive zinc daily or a placebo. After 4 months and a 1-month wash-out, the subjects will be crossed over to the other group.


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[jazz]

This trial concluded in 2013 and is reported below. The authors concluded zinc was not more effective than placebo.

Otol Neurotol. 2013 Aug;34(6):1146-54. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0b013e31827e609e.

Zinc to treat tinnitus in the elderly: a randomized placebo controlled crossover trial.

Coelho C1, Witt SA, Ji H, Hansen MR, Gantz B, Tyler R.
Author information

Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Several reports suggest that zinc, which is involved in several neural transmissions systems throughout the auditory pathway, might help some tinnitus patients. However, previous studies used inadequate experimental designs. Therefore, we tested the effectiveness of zinc to reduce tinnitus.

STUDY DESIGN:
Randomized, prospective double-blind placebo-controlled design.

SETTING:
Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS:
Tinnitus subjects older than 60 years, who are more likely to have a zinc deficiency.

INTERVENTION(S):
In Phase 1, 58 subjects were randomized to receive 50 mg of zinc per day for 4 months, and 58 subjects received a placebo. After a 1-month washout period, the 2 groups were crossed over to receive the alternative regime (Phase 2).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:
Difference scores between before and after measures of the Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire. Changes on the difference scores 20 or greater were considered as a statistically significant and, therefore, clinically meaningful improvement for THQ.

RESULTS:
Five percent (5 of 93 patients) had an improvement of 20 points or greater in THQ scores after zinc treatment, whereas 2% (2 of 94 patients) had an improvement of 20 or greater in THQ scores after placebo. The difference between 2 proportions is 5/93 - 2/94 = 0.03, the estimate of relative improvement is (5/93) / (2/94) = 2.53, with 95% confidence interval from 0.5 to 12.7. From chi-square independent test, there was no significant evidence that patients treated by zinc improved better than those treated by placebo (X2 (1) = 1.4, p > 0.05). The observed power in THQ for zinc is 0.16, and that for placebo is 0.06.

CONCLUSION:
Zinc is not an effective treatment for tinnitus in this subgroup of patients.

Reference:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23598691​

 

[Frédéric]

Just to recall the reference of the clinical trial:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00683644