CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 25(04): e628-e632
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1718965
Systematic Review

Does Caffeine Intake Increase the Incidence of Tinnitus? A Systematic Review

1   Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
,
2   Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
,
3   College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
,
3   College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
,
3   College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
,
3   College of Medicine, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
,
4   Department of Internal Medicine – Neurology Section, King Abdulaziz Specialist Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia
› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Introduction Excessive caffeine intake has been thought to be a contributory factor for tinnitus. However, there has been no systematic review to elucidate the causal relationship between caffeine intake and the incidence of tinnitus.

Objectives We performed the current review aiming at evaluating the evidence from the current literature for the relationship between caffeine intake and the incidence of tinnitus.

Data Synthesis Databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google scholar were searched for relevant articles. A total of 142 studies were screened for eligibility, of which four articles met our inclusion criteria: two were prospective cohorts and two were cross-sectional studies. Although one study found no association between caffeine consumption and the incidence of tinnitus, an inverse relationship was reported by two population-based studies. Concerning patients with preexisting tinnitus, reduction of caffeine intake in a subset who consumed 150 ml to 300 ml/day of coffee yielded a favorable outcome in tinnitus severity. However, those with higher dose intake were less prone to have improvement in the severity of tinnitus.

Conclusion Although the current review was inconclusive, it appears that the incidence of tinnitus in previously unaffected individuals might be prevented by a high dose of caffeine intake. However, in preexisting tinnitus, a high dose of caffeine may adversely interfere with the efficacy of caffeine reduction.

Authors' Contributions

Sattam M. Aljuaid: Conception; critical revision for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published


Ahmad A. Mirza: Conception; drafting the work; critical revision for important intellectual content; final approval of the version to be published


Lura A. Habib: Drafting the work; final approval of the version to be published


Lujain A. AlHarthi: Drafting the work; final approval of the version to be published


Bashayer M. Alansari: Drafting the work; final approval of the version to be published


Bashaier G. AlQahtani: Drafting the work; final approval of the version to be published


Youssef A. Althobaiti: Drafting the work; final approval of the version to be published




Publication History

Received: 15 June 2020

Accepted: 01 September 2020

Article published online:
30 November 2020

© 2020. Fundação Otorrinolaringologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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