Does Tinnitus Lead to Depression?

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between THI (Tinnitus Handicap Inventory) and BDS (Beck Depression Scale).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: High frequency thresholds and PTA (Pure Tone Audiometer) thresholds for the patients were measured in 44 patients with tinnitus (bilateral=13; unilateral=31). Tinnitus frequency and intensity were measured using one-pair method with high frequency audiometer Interacoustic AC40. Applied BDS and THI scores are evaluated for all patients. Our findings are analysed statistically with SPSS v.21 and BDS and THI correlation with tinnitus intensity and frequency was executed.

RESULTS: The mean value of tinnitus frequency was 10 kHz (min 0.25 kHz, max16 kHz and SD 4.26), mean tinnitus intensity was 50.6 dB (min 15 dB, max 110 dB and SD 26.9 dB) mean THI score was 38.04 (min 10, max 86 and SD 20.03) and mean BDS score was 9.45 (min 0, max 28 and SD 6.49). There was no statistical correlation between THI score and tinnitus frequency (r=0.055, p=0.787). Moderate correlation is obtained between tinnitus frequency and depression (r=0.6, p=0.001). There were weak correlations between tinnitus intensity and THI score and (r=0.3, p=0.09) and between tinnitus intensity and BDS score (r=0.28, p=0.13). Although a statistically significant difference was observed between THI scores of patients with bilateral and unilateral tinnitus (p0.05). High frequency thresholds and UCL scores of ears with tinnitus were not statistically different from ears with no tinnitus (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: No correlation was seen between THI and tinnitus frequency, but a moderate correlation was seem between BDS score and tinnitus frequency. There were also weak correlations between tinnitus intensity and THI and BDS scores.