Exploratory trial of antidepressant therapy for dizziness

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN80847419

Enrollment

Registered

2005-09-30

Start date

2003-06-01

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2015-01-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Signs and Symptoms: Dizziness Signs and Symptoms Dizziness

Interventions

1. Low dose antidepressant (Citalopram) therapy and self-help leaflet 2. Full dose antidepressant (Citalopram) and self-help leaflet 3. A control group receiving no antidepressant treatment, but rec

Eligibility

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: GP attendees with acute symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, dysequilibrium, presyncope, and other types of balance problems for more than 2 months, associated with associated psychological symptoms.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Below 18 years old and above 85 years old 2. Too ill to take part (i.e serious physical illness or terminal disorder) 3. First episode of dizziness 4. Acute dizziness 5. Vetebrobasilar insufficiency 6. Cardivascular diagnoses 7. Severe neurological disorders

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
The community prevalence of dizziness ranges from 16-35%. One quarter of such sufferers report chronic handicapping symptoms and psychological distress. There are currently no evaluations of treatment for dizziness in the community. This study is the first step in evaluating a treatment that has been previously examined in a hospital setting. This study will provide: 1. Information on the acceptability and feasibility of using antidepressants for people with dizziness in primary care. 2. Estimates of the numbers of people with dizziness who can be recruited to the study from each practice and hence assist with planning in a main trial. 3. Information on people's preferences for each intervention. 4. Preliminary estimates of the effect on clinical, psychological and physical outcomes in people with dizziness in primary care treated with low dose or full dose of antidepressants, which will inform sample size calculations for a main trial. In addition, the results of this study will allow the researchers to finalise their assessment and treatment schedule for people with dizziness in primary care.	—

Measure

Time frame

The community prevalence of dizziness ranges from 16-35%. One quarter of such sufferers report chronic handicapping symptoms and psychological distress. There are currently no evaluations of treatment for dizziness in the community. This study is the first step in evaluating a treatment that has been previously examined in a hospital setting. This study will provide: 1. Information on the acceptability and feasibility of using antidepressants for people with dizziness in primary care. 2. Estimates of the numbers of people with dizziness who can be recruited to the study from each practice and hence assist with planning in a main trial. 3. Information on people's preferences for each intervention. 4. Preliminary estimates of the effect on clinical, psychological and physical outcomes in people with dizziness in primary care treated with low dose or full dose of antidepressants, which will inform sample size calculations for a main trial. In addition, the results of this study will allow the researchers to finalise their assessment and treatment schedule for people with dizziness in primary care.

—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Not provided at time of registration	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026