Correlation Between Tinnitus Handicap and Depression and Anxiety Scores

András Molnár; Panayiota Mavrogeni; László Tamás; Stefani Maihoub

doi:10.1177/01455613221139211

Correlation Between Tinnitus Handicap and Depression and Anxiety Scores

Ear Nose Throat J. 2022 Nov 8:1455613221139211. doi: 10.1177/01455613221139211. Online ahead of print.

Authors

András Molnár¹, Panayiota Mavrogeni², László Tamás^{1

3}, Stefani Maihoub¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
² Tóth Ilona Health Service Clinical Medical Institute, Budapest, Hungary.
³ Department of Voice, Speech and Swallowing Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.

PMID: 36346819
DOI: 10.1177/01455613221139211

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse the correlation between depression, anxiety, and tinnitus handicap in patients with primary tinnitus.

Methods: A total of 102 patients (41 men, 61 women; mean age ± SD: 56.8 ± 11.6 years) were examined. They completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Symptom-Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R). Correlations were analysed using Pearson's and Spearman's tests. Logistic regression analysis was performed.

Results: The demographic data suggested a slight female predominance. The THI questionnaires indicated a worsening handicap in 73.5% of the patients, of which the 'mild' category was the most frequent, followed by severe handicaps. According to BDI, 69.6% of individuals fell in the normal category, with mild cases being the most frequent. Of the two psychiatric symptoms, depression (BDI) and tinnitus were strongly correlated (rho= 0.579, P < .0001*). The correlation was also significant according to the SCL-90-R depression questions (rho= 0.523, P < .0001*). Upon comparing the depressive scores and the THI subscores (i.e., functional, emotional, and catastrophic), each showed a significant correlation, with the strongest correlation with functional and emotional scores. The correlation with anxiety was slightly weaker (rho= 0.480, P < .0001*) but also significant. According to the Kaplan-Meier curves and logistic regression, the appearance of depressive symptoms did not significantly influence the appearance of a worsening handicap [P = .428; OR: 1.124 (95% CI: 0.842-1.501)]. However, a worsening handicap significantly influenced the appearance of depressive symptoms [P < .0001*; OR: 1.35 (95% CI: 1.34-4.86)], indicating that tinnitus has a more expressed effect on the appearance of depressive symptoms than reversed.

Conclusions: The correlation between tinnitus handicap and psychiatric comorbidities indicates the importance of psychological factors in tinnitus management. Tinnitus handicap has a more profound effect on depression scores. To avoid the occurrence of comorbidities, tinnitus handicaps must be reduced.

Keywords: anxiety; comorbidities; depression; tinnitus.