Tinnitus Disturbance in Normal Hearing Patients

Objective To evaluate the annoyance of tinnitus by means of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) in normal hearing patients and to correlate it with outer hair cell function by means of the evoked otoacustic emission tests and with anxiety and depression disorders investigated by the Beck scale. Method This case‐control study was performed in 2 groups of normal hearing patients: study group (SG): 68 patients with tinnitus; and control group (CG): 46 patients without tinnitus. Patients were submitted to otoacoustic emissions tests, to THI evaluation, and to anxiety and depression search by Beck Scale. Results Seventy‐five ears (67.0%) in SG showed abnormal TOAE versus 18 ears (19.6%) in CG ( P <. 0001). Sixty‐eight ears (65.2%) had abnormal DPOAE in SG versus 46 ears (50%) in the CG ( P <. 029). There was no correlation between THI and the results of TOAE ( P =. 799) and DPOAE ( P >. 7) tests. SG had 44.1% (N = 30) individuals with anxiety versus 17.4% (N = 8) in CG ( P <. 003). There was a statistical difference between the presence and absence of depression and anxiety and the THI ( P <. 001). The ones with these disturbances showed higher THI scores. Conclusion There was a correlation between anxiety and depression and the annoyance of tinnitus. Tinnitus annoyance showed no association to the outer hair cells’ function in this study.