TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors predicting severity of Tinnitus
T2 - A population-based assessment
AU - Sindhusake, Doungkamol
AU - Golding, Maryanne
AU - Wigney, David
AU - Newall, Philip
AU - Jakobsen, Kirsten
AU - Mitchell, Paul
PY - 2004/4
Y1 - 2004/4
N2 - The Blue Mountains Hearing Study (BMHS) has shown that tinnitus affects one in three older Australians with 16% of cases describing severe annoyance. Among persons describing severe symptoms, 52% have sought professional help. We aim to identify factors associated with the severity of tinnitus in 2,015 persons aged over 54 years. Comprehensive questionnaires about hearing were administered. Air- (250-8000 Hz) and bone-conduction (500-4000 Hz) audiometric thresholds of both ears, together with transient evoked and spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, were measured. Factors predicting severity of tinnitus were assessed in Cox proportional hazard models. After multivariate adjustment, factors significantly associated with severe tinnitus were hearing loss (relative risk [RR] 2.9), dizziness (RB 2.0), head injury (RR 2.0), sinus and middle ear infections (RR 1.9), and mastoiditis (RR 3.9). Associations with mild tinnitus included age (RR 0.8), hearing loss (RR 1.4) and history of dizziness (RR 1.5), meningitis (RR 2.2), and migraine (RR 1.5). Knowledge of these factors could contribute to improved tinnitus management.
AB - The Blue Mountains Hearing Study (BMHS) has shown that tinnitus affects one in three older Australians with 16% of cases describing severe annoyance. Among persons describing severe symptoms, 52% have sought professional help. We aim to identify factors associated with the severity of tinnitus in 2,015 persons aged over 54 years. Comprehensive questionnaires about hearing were administered. Air- (250-8000 Hz) and bone-conduction (500-4000 Hz) audiometric thresholds of both ears, together with transient evoked and spontaneous otoacoustic emissions, were measured. Factors predicting severity of tinnitus were assessed in Cox proportional hazard models. After multivariate adjustment, factors significantly associated with severe tinnitus were hearing loss (relative risk [RR] 2.9), dizziness (RB 2.0), head injury (RR 2.0), sinus and middle ear infections (RR 1.9), and mastoiditis (RR 3.9). Associations with mild tinnitus included age (RR 0.8), hearing loss (RR 1.4) and history of dizziness (RR 1.5), meningitis (RR 2.2), and migraine (RR 1.5). Knowledge of these factors could contribute to improved tinnitus management.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=5044251956&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
C2 - 15239201
AN - SCOPUS:5044251956
SN - 1050-0545
VL - 15
SP - 269
EP - 280
JO - Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
JF - Journal of the American Academy of Audiology
IS - 4
ER -