Is Pitch and Loudness Associated with Tinnitus Annoyance?

Abstract

Objective:

Verify if there is an association between tinnitus pitch and loudness and degree of annoyance.

Methods:

Transversal study involving 129 consecutives patients with unilateral disturbing tinnitus between September 2003 and December 2011. The tinnitus pitch and loudness was measured by acufenometry. The impact of tinnitus in patient’s quality of life was evaluated using both tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) and visual analog scale (VAS) at the same time when acufenometry was performed. Statistical analysis was made using the Pearson correlation test.

Results:

The mean age was 57.7 ± 12.6 years old and 62.8% were female. The correlation coefficient between loudness and VAS was R = 0.2, P = 0.03 and between loudness and THI was R=0.16 (P = 0.07). When we analyzed the pitch and VAS, R was -0.02 (P = 0.7) and between pitch and THI the R was 0.08 (P = 0.3).

Conclusions:

There are no significant associations between either the tinnitus pitch and loudness and the symptom’s impact in the patient’s quality of life.