Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2014; 18 - a2145
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1388756

Pitch and Loudness of Tinnitus in Elderly Subjects with Presbycusis

Bruna Macagnin Seimetz 1, Adriane Ribeiro Teixeira 1, Carlos Henrique Pappen 1, Celso Dall'Igna 1, Letícia Pettersen Schmidt Rosito 1, Letícia Sousa Flores 1
  • 1Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
  • 2Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre

Introduction: Tinnitus is a symptom often associated with presbycusis.

Objective: To analyze the possible association between hearing loss in patients with presbycusis and tinnitus pitch and loudness.

Methods: Cross-sectional, prospective, and descriptive study, whose sample consisted of individuals with tinnitus and presbycusis, who attended the Tinnitus Clinic of the Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre . To review, anamnesis, otoscopy, pure tone audiometry, and acuphenometry were performed to analyze the psychoacoustic characteristics of individuals with tinnitus.

Results: The sample consisted of 49 subjects with a mean age of 69.57 ± 6.53 years. Regarding gender, the study included 28 females (57.15%) and 21 males (42.85%) who had unilateral and bilateral tinnitus, therefore a sample of 80 ears. With regard to acuphenometry, tinnitus loudness was found more often at 0 dBA and the pitch was 6 kHz and 8 kHz. Regarding the analysis of the association between the frequency range of higher hearing threshold and tinnitus pitch, no statistical significance (p = 0.081) was observed. As for the association between the intensity of higher hearing threshold and loudness of tinnitus, there was no statistical significance (p = 0.115).

Conclusion: The study found no association between hearing loss in patients with presbycusis and tinnitus pitch and loudness.