Tongxiang Diao1, Xin Ma1, Jingjing Li2, Jen-Tsung Lai3, Lisheng Yu1, Jilei Zhang1, Yixu Wang1, Hongwei Zheng1, Yuanyuan Jing1, Lin Han1. 1. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, People's Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China. 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. 3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Taiwan Kuang-Tien General Hospital, and Taiwan Tinnitus Association, Taichung, Taiwan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors affecting the long-term prognosis of tinnitus accompanied by unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). METHODS: A total of 161 patients with sudden hearing loss (HL) accompanied by tinnitus were enrolled. All patients had two separate telephone follow-ups and were asked about changes in tinnitus. The severity of tinnitus at admission and the outcome at discharge were assessed in terms of the patients' sex, age, level of HL, type of audiogram, etc. Results: The prognosis of tinnitus after SSNHL had no relationship with grades of HL or hearing recovery. Initial tinnitus level was remarkably associated with tinnitus improvement at discharge and was an independent risk factor for the long-term prognosis of residual tinnitus after SSNHL (odds ratio 0.722, 95% confidence interval 0.550-0.949, p = 0.019), and the median recovery time was 23.00 ± 3.80 months. CONCLUSIONS: Residual tinnitus after SSNHL has a tendency of self-recovery. The short-term prognosis of tinnitus may be related to psychological changes caused by hearing recovery, while the long-term prognosis of residual tinnitus after SSNHL is related only to the initial tinnitus level, with a median recovery time of approximately 2 years.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors affecting the long-term prognosis of tinnitus accompanied by unilateral idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). METHODS: A total of 161 patients with sudden hearing loss (HL) accompanied by tinnitus were enrolled. All patients had two separate telephone follow-ups and were asked about changes in tinnitus. The severity of tinnitus at admission and the outcome at discharge were assessed in terms of the patients' sex, age, level of HL, type of audiogram, etc. Results: The prognosis of tinnitus after SSNHL had no relationship with grades of HL or hearing recovery. Initial tinnitus level was remarkably associated with tinnitus improvement at discharge and was an independent risk factor for the long-term prognosis of residual tinnitus after SSNHL (odds ratio 0.722, 95% confidence interval 0.550-0.949, p = 0.019), and the median recovery time was 23.00 ± 3.80 months. CONCLUSIONS: Residual tinnitus after SSNHL has a tendency of self-recovery. The short-term prognosis of tinnitus may be related to psychological changes caused by hearing recovery, while the long-term prognosis of residual tinnitus after SSNHL is related only to the initial tinnitus level, with a median recovery time of approximately 2 years.