Short Term Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Patients with Catastrophic Intractable Tinnitus: Preliminary Report.
- Author:
Ho Yun LEE
1
;
Seung Don YOO
;
Eun Woong RYU
;
Jae Yong BYUN
;
Seung Geun YEO
;
Moon Suh PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. pmsuh@naver.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Tinnitus;
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
- MeSH:
Humans;
Salicylamides;
Tinnitus;
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
- From:Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology
2013;6(2):63-67
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: The short-term effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the patients with catastrophic and intractable tinnitus were investigated. METHODS: Fifteen participants were recruited among patients with catastrophic intractable tinnitus to receive 1 Hz rTMS treatment. Tinnitus severity was assessed before rTMS and directly after sham or real rTMS using the tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: There was no statistical difference in the THI score before and after sham stimulation. However, after 5 replications of real rTMS there was statistically significant reduction in THI score. Eight patients showed a decrease of more than 10 in THI score. Patients who showed a vast change in THI score after rTMS also showed a large decrease in their VAS score (r=0.879, P<0.001). Duration of tinnitus and change of THI score showed statistically significant moderate negative correlation (r=-0.637, P=0.011). But in case of VAS, there was no significant difference between VAS and duration of tinnitus. CONCLUSION: Among total 15 patients with catastrophic intractable chronic tinnitus, eight patients showed some improvement in symptoms after 1 Hz rTMS. rTMS can be considered management modality for intractable tinnitus even with distress as severe as catastrophic stage.
