Effects of Tinnitus on the Quality of Life and its Associated Factors in Adult Patients

Introduction: Tinnitus is a highly prevalent condition that can affect the quality of life of patients. Objective: To assess the quality of life and its associated factors in adult patients with tinnitus. Methods: Cross-sectional and analytical study carried out with a population that included adult patients with tinnitus symptoms attended in the otorhinolaryngology service of a reference hospital in Lima, Peru. The effect of tinnitus on quality of life was measured using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. Results: The study included 151 patients with tinnitus: 31.2 percent were male and the mean age was 66 years, while 17.2 percent and 23.1 percent of patients with tinnitus had a history of depressive disorders and anxiety disorders, respectively. Of tinnitus patients, 85.4 percent and 62.2 percent had hearing loss and headache, respectively. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory showed a median value of 26 (interquartile: 8-50), a minimum value of 0, and a maximum value of 100. Of the patients, 101 (66.8 percent) had mild to moderate disability due to tinnitus, while 50 (33 percent) had moderate to severe disability. In multivariate analysis, anxiety (OR=2.59; 95 percent CI: 1.14-5.9; P= 0.02), hearing loss (OR= 12.9; 95 percent CI: 1.65-102.1; P= 0.01) and headache (OR= 2.61; 95 percent CI 1.18-5.8; p= 0.01) were found to be associated with moderate to severe disability due to tinnitus. Conclusions: Adult patients with tinnitus frequently had moderate to severe impairment of their quality of life. Factors associated with moderate to severe disability due to tinnitus were anxiety, headache, and hearing loss(AU)