Carlos Henrique Pappen

Pitch and loudness tinnitus in individuals with presbycusis

Introduction Tinnitus is a symptom that is often associated with presbycusis. Objective This study aims to analyze the existence of association among hearing thresholds, pitch, and loudness of tinnitus in individuals with presbycusis, considering the gender variable. Methods Cross-sectional, descriptive, and prospective study, whose sample consisted of individuals with tinnitus and diagnosis of presbycusis. For the evaluation, we performed anamnesis along with otoscopy, pure tone audiometry, and acuphenometry to analyze the psychoacoustic characteristics of tinnitus individuals. Results The sample consisted of 49 subjects, with a mean age of 69.57 ± 6.53 years, who presented unilateral and bilateral tinnitus, therefore, a sample of 80 ears. In analyzing the results, as for acuphenometry, the loudness of tinnitus was more present at 0dB and the pitch was 6HKz and 8HKz. Regarding the analysis of the association between the frequency of greater hearing threshold and tinnitus pitch, no statistical significance (p = 0.862) was found. As for the association between the intensity of greater hearing threshold and tinnitus loudness, no statistical significance (p = 0.115) was found. Conclusion There is no significant association between the hearing loss of patients with presbycusis and the pitch and loudness of tinnitus.

Is There an Association between Tinnitus Pitch and Hearing Loss

Objectives: Correlate tinnitus pitch to the audiometric frequencies of hearing loss. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated 378 ears of consecutive patients diagnosed with hearing loss and chronic tinnitus of any etiology. Audiometry and acufenometry were performed at the first clinical evaluation; a tinnitus pitch within the frequencies of greatest hearing loss indicated a positive association. The acufenometric frequency was similarly assessed relative to the greatest hearing loss on audiometry. Data were compared using the Spearman correlation test and analyzed using SPSS. Results: In total, 61.6% of patients were female, and the mean patient age was 57.9 years. In 58% of cases, the tinnitus frequency was within the region of greatest hearing loss, but only 20% corresponded exactly to the highest hearing loss frequency. There was a weak correlation (r = 0.1, P = .02) between the tinnitus pitch in acufenometry and the greatest hearing loss frequency in audiometry. Conclusions: The tinnitus pitch and the region of audiometric loss were correlated in most patients. In several cases, the tinnitus pitch corresponded to the exact frequency of greatest hearing impairment, and the 2 variables had a weak association.

Comparison of Tinnitus Characteristics and the Impact on Patients with Presbycusis and Noise-Induced Hearing Loss:

Objectives: Compare acufenometry findings of patients with chronic unilateral disturbing tinnitus due to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) or presbycusis, and determine if there is an association with the degree of annoyance. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 38 patients with presbycusis and 17 with NIHL were evaluated between September 2003 and January 2014. The tinnitus pitch and loudness were evaluated using acufenometry. Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and the visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess the impact of tinnitus on the patient’s life. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and Student t test. Results: The mean age of the patients with presbycusis and NIHL was 67.74 ± 8.73 years and 62.29 ± 9.57 years, respectively (P = .04). The tinnitus pitch (3092 ± 2203 Hz vs 4220.59 ± 2907.26 Hz; P = .12) as well as the loudness (42.71 ± 19.80 vs 47.40 ± 20.80; P = .44) were similar in both groups. In addition, no statistically significant difference was observed in the THI and VAS of either group (P = .76 and P = .46, respectively). Conclusions: Despite the differences observed in the cause of tinnitus and the mean ages of the patients, no significant difference was observed in the behavior of tinnitus in the groups with presbycusis and NIHL. Furthermore, tinnitus had a similar impact on the lives of patients from both groups.

Differences in Acufenometry and Tinnitus Annoyance among Patients with Presbycusis and Ménière’s Disease

Objectives: Analyze the difference in acufenometry between patients with presbycusis and Ménière’s disease and correlate the findings with the annoyance caused by tinnitus. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 59 patients with unilateral tinnitus treated at a tertiary hospital. Out of these patients, 38 had presbycusis and 21 had Ménière’s disease. Acufenometry was performed to determine the pitch and loudness of tinnitus in the 2 groups. The tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the annoyance caused due to tinnitus. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and the Student t test. Results: The mean age of the patients with Ménière’s disease and presbycusis was 56.05 ± 8.73 years and 67.74 ± 8.73 years, respectively (P < .0001). Similar tinnitus pitch was observed in patients with Ménière’s disease and those with presbycusis (2119 ± 2000 Hz vs 3092 ± 2203 Hz; P = .09); however, the loudness varied between the groups (61.19 ± 17.2 dB vs 42.17 ± 19.8 dB; P = .001). The THI and VAS score were similar between the two groups (P = .33 vs P = .66). Conclusions: Although tinnitus was louder in patients with Ménière’s disease than in those with presbycusis, the tinnitus pitch and its impact on patient quality of life was similar in both groups.