Correlation analysis of hearing thresholds, validated questionnaires and psychoacoustic measurements in tinnitus patients

• Published in: Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 522 - 526
• Main Authors: Figueiredo, Ricardo Rodrigues, Rates, Marcelo A., de Azevedo, Andréia Aparecida, de Oliveira, Patrícia Mello, de Navarro, Patrícia B.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Elsevier Editora Ltda 01-07-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; audiometry; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Auditory Threshold; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Prospective Studies; Psychoacoustics; questionnaires; Severity of Illness Index; Surveys and Questionnaires; tinnitus; Tinnitus - diagnosis; Tinnitus - psychology; questionnaires; audiometry; psychoacoustics; tinnitus
• ISSN: 1808-8694; 1808-8686
• DOI: 10.1590/S1808-86942010000400018

One of the most criticized points in tinnitus clinical studies arise from the lack of consensus about measurement methods.
To evaluate the correlation between audiometric thresholds, pitch matching (PM), minimum masking level (MML), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in tinnitus patients.
Prospective, cross-sectional.
Subjects were submitted to tonal audiometry, PM and MML for tinnitus. They also filled out the THI and BDI. Data was statistically compared for correlation purposes between audiometric thresholds, psycho-acoustic measures and questionnaires.
There was no statistically significant correlation between THI and MML, both in patients with BDI scores under and over 14 points. There was no statistically significant correlation between the worst hearing frequency and PM, as well as between the cut-off frequency and the PM in patients with descending hearing curves in their audiograms.
There is no statistically significant correlation between psycho-acoustic measures (PM and MML), audiometric thresholds, THI and BDI. Tinnitus is a very complex symptom and isolated measures by psycho-acoustic methods; tinnitus and depression questionnaires are not satisfactory.