Khoza-Shangase Katijah, Mkhize Snethemba P
Department of Audiology, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, Braamfontein.
S Afr J Commun Disord. 2024 Nov 6;71(1):e1-e11. doi: 10.4102/sajcd.v71i1.1069.
In South Africa, the prevalence of tinnitus and its associated clinical and audiological characteristics remain underexplored, posing challenges in the assessment and management of the condition. This knowledge gap affects clinician preparedness and effectiveness in treating tinnitus.
This study aimed to explore the clinical and audiological characteristics of adult patients reporting tinnitus at a tertiary academic hospital in South Africa.
A quantitative, non-experimental, retrospective review of 129 patient audiological records from the Audiology Department at Helen Joseph Hospital was conducted. Among these, 71 records were of patients who reported experiences of tinnitus.
Tinnitus was reported by 55% of patients, with a higher prevalence in females (76%). The mean age of patients was 51.9 years. Unilateral tinnitus was present in 28% of cases, while 78% of patients had hearing loss, predominantly sensorineural. Common audiological characteristics included vertigo (24%), otalgia (14%), otorrhea (17%) and perforated tympanic membrane (15%). Clinical conditions associated with tinnitus included hypertension (32%), heart disease (28%), diabetes (9%) and head trauma (9%). Findings regarding age and gender differences in the clinical and audiological manifestations of tinnitus are presented.
Further research with larger, diverse samples and prospective designs is necessary to confirm these findings and explore possible underlying causes.Contribution: The findings highlight the significant prevalence of tinnitus and its association with various clinical and audiological conditions in the South African context. Understanding these characteristics will enhance the clinician's ability to accurately assess, diagnose and manage tinnitus, leading to improved treatment outcomes.
在南非，耳鸣的患病率及其相关的临床和听力学特征仍未得到充分研究，这给该病症的评估和管理带来了挑战。这一知识空白影响了临床医生治疗耳鸣的准备程度和效果。
本研究旨在探讨南非一家三级学术医院中报告有耳鸣的成年患者的临床和听力学特征。
对海伦·约瑟夫医院听力科的129份患者听力学记录进行了定量、非实验性的回顾性研究。其中，71份记录来自报告有耳鸣经历的患者。
55%的患者报告有耳鸣，女性患病率更高（76%）。患者的平均年龄为51.9岁。28%的病例为单侧耳鸣，78%的患者有听力损失，主要是感音神经性听力损失。常见的听力学特征包括眩晕（24%）、耳痛（14%）、耳漏（17%）和鼓膜穿孔（15%）。与耳鸣相关的临床病症包括高血压（32%）、心脏病（28%）、糖尿病（9%）和头部外伤（9%）。文中还呈现了耳鸣临床和听力学表现方面年龄和性别差异的研究结果。
需要进行更大规模、多样样本和前瞻性设计的进一步研究，以证实这些发现并探索可能的潜在原因。贡献：这些发现凸显了南非耳鸣的高患病率及其与各种临床和听力学病症的关联。了解这些特征将提高临床医生准确评估、诊断和管理耳鸣的能力，从而改善治疗效果。
