Metaanalysis on the effectiveness of pharmacological and psychological treatments for chronic tinnitus aurium

A metaanalysis on pharmacological and psychological treatment reports was c onducted in order to evaluate the overall effectiveness of these treatment conditions in chronic tinnitus. A totality of 109 treatment studies publish ed between 1976 and 3/1995 and meeting minimal inclusion criteria was locat ed, but only 24 studies reporting sufficient information could be analyzed. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated by a coding scheme ,and the resulting index of effectiveness has been weighted by this standar d as well as by sample size. Effect sizes of pharmacological studies were E S=1.27 and by this higher than the ones for psychological studies with ES=0 .88. This finding is attenuated by high (unspecific) placebo effects of ES= 0.65 in pharmacological studies compared to ES=0.10 in psychological studie s. in general, patients from psychological studies further improve after tr eatment in Eases where catamnestic measurements have been conducted.