A double‐blind study on clonazepam in patients with burning mouth syndrome

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives/Hypothesis:</jats:title><jats:p>In the treatment of burning mouth syndrome (BMS), various approaches have been tried with equivocal results. The aim of the present randomized clinical trial was to determine the efficacy of clonazepam, a GABA agonist designed as an antiepileptic drug that exerts the typical effects of benzodiazepines.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Study Design:</jats:title><jats:p>Randomized clinical trial.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods:</jats:title><jats:p>Twenty patients with idiopathic BMS were carefully selected. Clonazepam (0.5 mg/day, n = 10) or placebo (lactose, n = 10) were randomly assigned to the patients.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results:</jats:title><jats:p>Patients on clonazepam significantly improved in pain ratings (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < .001). These changes were less pronounced in the placebo group (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < .11). No significant changes were observed in a mood scale (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .56) or for depression scores (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .56). Taste test and salivary flow increased over sessions, but were not different between groups (<jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .83 and <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> = .06, respectively).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions:</jats:title><jats:p>Clonazepam appears to have a positive effect on pain in BMS patients. Laryngoscope, 2012</jats:p></jats:sec>