Study On Tinnitus Characteristics And Related Factors

Tinnitus refers to patients consciously experiencing ear ringing with no corresponding sound source in the surrounding environment, which is a kind of subjective feeling. According to literature reports, about 25.3% of the American population suffers from tinnitus, among which there are 10~15% patients suffering persisting tinnitus who seek hospital treatment. About 31.4% of the population with age older than 65 years has experienced tinnitus. In China, the incidence rate of tinnitus is about 10%, and the incidence rate in the elderly is as high as 30%. Patients, complaining the tinnitus as the first chief complaint, seek the doctors to help because their works and life are troubled, and even some patients commit suicide.According to different natures, tinnitus is divided into acute tinnitus, subacute tinnitus and chronic tinnitus; objective tinnitus and subjective tinnitus(which consists of primary tinnitus and secondary tinnitus); boring/disabling tinnitus and unboring/ undisabling tinnitus.Chronic idiopathic subjective tinnitus is one of the most common three hard symptoms of otology. Now, the etiology and pathogenic mechanism of tinnitus is not yet clear completely, and it is difficult to eliminate the tinnitus, the goal of treatment is to reduce negative effects on patients caused by tinnitus. Recent searchers show that impact on the patients is the results of tinnitus itself and the negative psychological reaction caused by tinnituts together. Other studies found that the severity of tinnitus associated with personality traits, but it is not clear about the relationship among these factors. And studies showed that there were relationship between the severity of tinnitus and hearing level, background of knowledge, family situation and sleep of patients. This study intends to explore the questions by evaluating the psychological state and personality of 201 subjective tinnitus patients and 117 healthy persons, provide reference and assistance for clinical diagnosis and treatment of tinnitus. 1 The analysis of characteristics and pathogenetic factors of tinnitus Objective:To analyse clinical characteristics, characteristics of tinnitus, hearing levels, and explore the psychological acoustic characteristics and related factors of tinnitus. Methods:Establish criteria for inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 201 tinnitus patients screened as research object from those visited otology clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from March 2014 to February 2015 with tinnitus as chief complaints. All the patients underwent history collection, physical examination, ENT examination, audiological examination and tinnitus examination. 117 cases healthy persons with matching age, sex, occupation, education level, and general information as the research group were selected as control group.All participants completed self-rating Depression Scale(SDS), self rating Anxiety Scale(SAS) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ) personality test according to the requirements. All the data was analyzed by SPSS17.0, with P<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results:1 Comparing with control group, tinnitus patients present higher incidence in single, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety and neuroticisim/psychoticism.2 Most of patients present unilateral tinnitus(123), cicadas sound(82),single voice(144), persistent tinnitus(102), high pitch(121) and hearing loss(138); tinnitus loudness is less than 10 d BSL in most cases.3 Tinnitus related with hearing levels, age, marital status, sleep status and the scores of SAS?SDS?EPQ-N?EPQ-P. Conclusion:1 Most patients present unilateral, persistent, high-pitch tinnitus sound.2 Tinnitus related with age, marital status, sleep status, anxiety, depression and the characteristics of personality. 2 The relationship between tinnitus and anxiety, depression and Personality traits Objective:To analyse the distribution characteristics of depression, anxiety and personality traits, and the relation with clinical features of tinnitus patients. Methods:The research methods were same as those of the first part. Results:1 The tinnitus patients often performance high scores in SAS?SDS?EPQ-N?EPQ-P scales comparing with control group. The difference is statistically significant.2 Of 201 tinnitus patients, 80 patients with depression, including light, medium and severe, and 41 cases(20.40%),24 cases(11.945)and 15 cases(7.4%) respectively; the major risk factors of depressive symptom included age, marital status, sleep status, continuous tinnitus, course of disease and tinnitus loudness.3 Of 201 tinnitus patients,84 patients with anxiety, including light, medium and severe, and 43 cases(21.39%), 25 cases(12.44)and 16 cases(7.96%) respectively; Through the analysis of Logistic regression, the major risk factors of anxious symptom included age, marital status, sleep status, and persistent tinnitus and course of disease.4 Of 201 tinnitus patients,84 patients with neuroticisim/psychoticism.Through the analysis of Logistic regression, the major risk factors of neuroticisim/ psychoticism included marital status, sleep status, and persistent tinnitus. Conclusion:1 The scores of SAS, SDS, EPQ-N and EPQ-P of tinnitus patients are higher than those of control group2 The major risk factors of depression, anxiety included age, marital status, sleep status, and persistent tinnitus. the major risk factors of neuroticisim/ psychoticism were marital status, sleep status, and persistent tinnitus 3 The analysis of the disabled factors of tinnitus Objective:To analyse the severity of tinnitus, the disabled factors of tinnitus, and the correlation between various factors. Methods:The research methods were same as those of the first part as well as Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI) Results:1 THI score results of tinnitus patients: Grade 1 for 39 cases, grade 2 for 59 cases, grade 3 for 68 cases, grade 4 for 28 cases, and Grade 5 for 7 cases.The differences of SAS?SDS?EPQ-N?EPQ-P scores were statistically significant in different THI grades.2 The disabled factors of tinnitus were marital status, sleep status, persistent tinnitus, depression and anxiety, and neuroticisim/psychoticism. There are correlations between depressive symptom, anxious symptom, sleep disorder and persistent tinnitus. There are correlations between depressive symptom, sleep disorder and marital status and neuroticisim/psychoticism Conclusion:1. The disabled factors of tinnitus included depressive symptom, anxious symptom, sleep disorder, persistent tinnitus and marital status, and correlations between these factors.2. The tinnitus patients with THI?38 are more likely to develop anxious symptom, depressive symptom and personality defects.