The association of subjective and objective sleep measures with chronic tinnitus.
Academic Article
Overview
abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: Poor sleep is a prevalent complaint in the chronic tinnitus population, but the relationship between the two is not well characterized. The objective was to understand how subjective and objective measures of sleep compare in patients with and without chronic tinnitus. METHODS: Prospective cohort study on consecutive adult patients who presented to a sleep laboratory between January 19, 2017, to January 10, 2020. All patients underwent an in-laboratory nocturnal polysomnogram and filled out questionnaires including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Tinnitus Screener, and Tinnitus Handicap Index (THI) among others. RESULTS: The study included 1,968 subjects, out of which 284 (14.4%) reported chronic tinnitus. Chronic tinnitus patients were younger (51.6 years vs 54.1 years; p<0.05), more likely female (16.4% vs 11.7%; p<0.005). They demonstrated worse subjective sleep quality (PSQI: 11.3 vs 9.5; p<0.0005) and increased sleepiness (ESS: 9.8 vs 8.6; p<0.005). In the objective sleep parameters only the total sleep time was increased in chronic tinnitus (311.5 vs 294.5 minutes; p<0.05) and total arousals were decreased (41.7 vs 47; p<0.005). Sleep stage N3 was higher in those with chronic tinnitus (14.9% vs 13.0%; p<0.05). In multivariable analyses, as PSQI increases, the odds of chronic tinnitus increases. This effect was modified by age: In those younger than 55 years old, the odds of the presence of chronic tinnitus was 1.10 (95% CI 1.03, 1.17) times higher as PSQI increases. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic tinnitus is associated with significant changes in qualitative sleep (higher PSQI) but no major differences in quantitative sleep measures.
