TY - JOUR
T1 - The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory is a better indicator of the overall status of patients with tinnitus than the Numerical Rating Scale
AU - Shin, Seung Ho
AU - Byun, Sung Wan
AU - Park, Yelin
AU - Lee, Ho Yun
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare , Republic of Korea (grant number: HI21C1574040021 ).
Funding Information:
This research was supported by a grant from the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: HI21C1574040021).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2023/3/1
Y1 - 2023/3/1
N2 - Objectives: The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for awareness, annoyance, loudness, and effect on life are two of the most commonly used questionnaires for patients with tinnitus. This study aimed to determine whether these two questionnaires can comprehensively evaluate the patient's condition and which questionnaire is better as a primary endpoint for tinnitus. Materials and methods: Data from 90 patients who visited a university hospital with subjective, non-pulsatile tinnitus and without a history of any psychiatric disorders were reviewed between March 2020 and May 2022. The patients' medical histories, audiological profiles, questionnaires including the THI and NRS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Depression (BAI), Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HAD), and the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI) were analyzed. Results: The THI had a moderately positive correlation with the NRS for effect on life, annoyance, and loudness. It also had a low positive correlation with the BDI, HAD-A, BEPSI, and BAI. Considering annoyance and loudness, the NRS did not correlate with the other questionnaires, except for the THI (p > 0.05). The NRS for tinnitus awareness correlated with most audiological profiles. The ROC curve analysis revealed that the THI significantly predicted depression, anxiety, and stress. Conversely, none of the four NRS items significantly predicted these psychiatric problems (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Using the THI as a primary endpoint after interventions rather than the NRS is more reasonable because the THI covers the emotional, functional, and catastrophic aspects of tinnitus, although not the audiological status. To compensate for this, the auxiliary use of NRS for awareness should also be considered.
AB - Objectives: The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for awareness, annoyance, loudness, and effect on life are two of the most commonly used questionnaires for patients with tinnitus. This study aimed to determine whether these two questionnaires can comprehensively evaluate the patient's condition and which questionnaire is better as a primary endpoint for tinnitus. Materials and methods: Data from 90 patients who visited a university hospital with subjective, non-pulsatile tinnitus and without a history of any psychiatric disorders were reviewed between March 2020 and May 2022. The patients' medical histories, audiological profiles, questionnaires including the THI and NRS, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Depression (BAI), Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HAD), and the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI) were analyzed. Results: The THI had a moderately positive correlation with the NRS for effect on life, annoyance, and loudness. It also had a low positive correlation with the BDI, HAD-A, BEPSI, and BAI. Considering annoyance and loudness, the NRS did not correlate with the other questionnaires, except for the THI (p > 0.05). The NRS for tinnitus awareness correlated with most audiological profiles. The ROC curve analysis revealed that the THI significantly predicted depression, anxiety, and stress. Conversely, none of the four NRS items significantly predicted these psychiatric problems (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Using the THI as a primary endpoint after interventions rather than the NRS is more reasonable because the THI covers the emotional, functional, and catastrophic aspects of tinnitus, although not the audiological status. To compensate for this, the auxiliary use of NRS for awareness should also be considered.
KW - Prognosis
KW - Questionnaires
KW - Tinnitus
KW - Treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85143969238&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.amjoto.2022.103719
DO - 10.1016/j.amjoto.2022.103719
M3 - Article
C2 - 36495648
AN - SCOPUS:85143969238
SN - 0196-0709
VL - 44
JO - American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
JF - American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
IS - 2
M1 - 103719
ER -