Summary
We examined a group of 115 patients suffering from tinnitus and have attempted to find a statistically significant correlation between the tinnitus experienced and low blood zinc levels (hypozincemia). No particular correlation could be made between the nature of the tinnitus experienced and hypozincemia except for the continuation of head noises, these being more frequently associated with hypozincemia when they are intermittent. Two hypotheses of pathogenesis are proposed to explain this phenomenon and are based on the importance of zinc to the syntheses of enzymes and proteins.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Causse J-B, Causse J-R, Bel J, Cezard R, Loubet B, Lopez X (1984) Bilan et traitement des acouphènes dans notre clinique. Ann Otolaryngol 101:231–235
Declaye X (1985) Zinc et acouphènes. Mémoire de fin d'études de médecine. UCL Louvainen-Woluwe
Lederer J (1985) Le zinc. Maloine, Paris
Mees K (1983) Ultrastructural localization of K+ dependent ouobaïn sensitive NPPase (NaK-ATPase) in the guinea pig inner ear. Acta Otolaryngol (Stockh) 195:277–289
Pekarek RS, Beisel VR, Bartelloni PJ, Bastian KA (1971) Determination of serum zinc concentration in normal adult subjects by atomic spectrophotometry. Am Clin Pathol 57:505–510
Prasad AS (1976) Trace elements in human health and disease. Academic Press, New York
Prasad AS (1983) Clinical biochemical and nutritional sprectrus of zinc deficiency in human subjects: an update. Nutr Rev 41:197–208
Shambaugh GE (1982) Zinc deficiency and tinnitus. First Internatinal Symposium and Workshop on Surgery of the Inner Ear. Snow Aspen, Colorado, USA, 14–21 August
Shambaugh GE (1982) On zinc, the amazing metal so essential to your health. Deficiency of it can cause endless problems, many of them just now being realized. Shambaugh Med Res Inst Newsl 1:1
Shambaugh GE (1985) Zinc and presbyacusis. Am J Otol 6:116–117
Stein F, Koanowski J (1983) Le rôle du zinc dans l'organisme. Giorn Ital Chim Clin 8:99–112
Sterkers O, Saumon G, Tran Ba Huy P, Ferrary E, Amiel C (1984) Electrochemical heterogeneity of the cochlear endolymph: effect of acetazolamide. Am J Physiol 246:47–53
Todd (1985) Cited in Lederer (ref. 3)
Watanabe K, Ogawa A (1984) Carbonic anhydrase activity in stria vascularis and dark cells in vestibular labyrinth. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 93:262–266
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gersdorff, M., Robillard, T., Stein, F. et al. A clinical correlation between hypozincemia and tinnitus. Arch Otorhinolaryngol 244, 190–193 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00464266
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00464266