Characteristics of tinnitus found in anemia patients and analysis of population-based survey

Publication date: December 2018

Source: Auris Nasus Larynx, Volume 45, Issue 6

Author(s): Woongsang Sunwoo, Doh Young Lee, Ji Young Lee, Minhyung Lee, Young Kang, Min-Hyun Park, Young Ho Kim

Abstract

Objective

This study analyzed the characteristics of tinnitus identified in anemia patients with cohort- and population-based studies in a single institute and suggests a management algorithm.

Methods

Fifty patients who were treated for anemia and referred for tinnitus treatment were included in a single institute retrospective study. Characteristics of tinnitus were investigated in a correlation analysis with demographic and audiologic parameters. For the population-based study, data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2010 and 2011 were analyzed. The study population consisted of 11,402 individuals aged 20–97 years with complete tinnitus-related data. The prevalence of tinnitus in anemia patients was investigated using the questionnaire, and associations between tinnitus and blood/urine parameters were evaluated by binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

In a single-institute study, patients with non-pulsatile tinnitus were significantly older and their initial hemoglobin was higher than those with pulsatile tinnitus (p = 0.001, 0.008, respectively). In pulsatile tinnitus, age and difference between initial and post-treatment hemoglobin were significantly associated with a subjective improvement in tinnitus (p = 0.002, 0.016, respectively). There were no significant audiologic or hematologic parameters associated with the improvement of non-pulsatile tinnitus. In the population-based study, there was no significant correlation between anemia and tinnitus (p = 0.064). In a multivariate analysis, age was the only parameter associated with tinnitus in participants with anemia.

Conclusion

The therapeutic strategy and prognosis of tinnitus in anemia patients differ according to the characteristics of tinnitus and the severity of anemia.

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