Abstract
To assess the impact of tinnitus on the quality of life of Saudi patients, and to compare the findings with those of other studies.
A retrospective chart review of 100 tinnitus patients, who visited the Otology/Neurotology Clinic at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2008 and December 2010, and completed the 25-item Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), was conducted. Age, gender, duration of symptoms, laterality, and associated hearing loss were included in the data.
The mean age of 54 men, and 46 women was 47.1+/-13.1 years. The male patients had higher THI total scores, emotional and functional total subscale scores as compared with the female patients. Associated hearing loss was present in 76% of patients. Patients with a long duration of tinnitus had a significantly higher scoring of the emotional (p=0.009), and catastrophic total subscale scores (p=0.006) compared with those with a short duration. The risk of a male patient experiencing a catastrophic score was 3.15 times higher than that in a female patient. Associated hearing loss, and tinnitus over a long duration affected the catastrophic subscale scores more than the other subscales. Fifty-one percent of the patients were grade 4 in the THI.
Tinnitus had a negative impact on the quality of life of Saudi patients. The THI may be a useful tool for screening patients, counseling, and charting treatment progress.