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Tinnitus in patients recovering after COVID-19: observational and cross-sectional study

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

In our study, it was aimed to determine the tinnitus rate in patients who recovered from COVID-19.

Methods

The study included 279 individuals aged 18–60 years, who recovered from COVID-19 within the last month and did not have a chronic disease. Visual Analogue Scale and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory were used for assessment in participants with tinnitus.

Results

While 201 participants (72.00%) included in the study stated that they did not have tinnitus, 78 participants (28.00%) reported that they had tinnitus. Twenty-eight (10%) of the participants stated that they had no tinnitus before COVID-19 and that tinnitus started with COVID treatment; 16 (5.70%) of the participants stated that tinnitus was not present before COVID-19 and started after recovery. The mean tinnitus severity was 4.50 ± 2.16; tinnitus frequency/duration was 4.19 ± 2.45; tinnitus discomfort was 4.41 ± 2.50, and the total scores of the tinnitus handicap inventory were 49.56 ± 9.81. There was statistically borderline significance between tinnitus frequency/duration scores according to age groups (p = 0.052). Statistically significant differences were found for tinnitus severity (p = 0.033) and discomfort scores (p = 0.014) according to age groups. In addition, a statistically significant difference was observed between the tinnitus severity scores of the participants with and without a history of hospitalization (p = 0.035).

Conclusion

Clinicians should keep in mind that tinnitus can be caused by COVID-19 as well as pre-existing tinnitus can be exacerbated by it but most participants in our study did not have post-COVID-19 tinnitus.

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Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Audiology, Hamidiye Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Health Sciences, Selimiye, Tıbbiye Street, Number: 38, Uskudar, 34668, Istanbul, Turkey

    Ahsen Kartal & Mert Kılıç

Authors
  1. Ahsen Kartal
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  2. Mert Kılıç
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Correspondence to Ahsen Kartal.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest, including any financial interest or financial support related to this manuscript to be disclosed.

Ethical approval

This study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the University of Health Sciences, Scientific Research and Board Ethics Committee, under the number E-46418926-050.01.04-11121 on 05/02/2021.

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Kartal, A., Kılıç, M. Tinnitus in patients recovering after COVID-19: observational and cross-sectional study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 280, 573–580 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07501-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07501-9

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