[An efficacy comparison of betahistin, trimetazidine and ginkgo biloba extract in patients with tinnitus].

OBJECTIVES This study aims to investigate the efficacy of trimetazidine, betahistine and ginkgo biloba extract in the treatment of tinnitus. PATIENTS AND METHODS Complete clinical data of 90 patients (48 males, 42 females; mean age 52.3±15.1 years; range 20 to 61 years) who received betahistine, trimetazidine and ginkgo biloba extract for three months were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into three groups including 30 in each group according to treatments received. Pre-treatment and post-treatment scores of tinnitus disability questionnaire were compared statistically. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between pre-treatment scores of tinnitus disability questionnaire among all three groups (p>0.05), while there was a statistically significant difference among the groups following treatment (p=0.019, p<0.05). After a-three-month treatment, a decrease of 19.7±15.5 units in trimetazidine group, 12.2±12.7 units in betahistine group, and 3.80±5.9 units in ginkgo biloba extract group were found to be statistically significant, compared to the mean pretreatment tinnitus disability questionnaire scores (p=0.002, p<0.01). CONCLUSION Our study results suggest that trimetazidine, betahistin and ginkgo biloba extract reduce tinnitus symptoms. However, symptomatic relief can be mostly achieved with trimetazidine treatment.