Background: Zinc plays a vital antioxidant role in human metabolism. Recent studies have demonstrated a correlation between noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and oxidative injury; however, no investigation has focused specifically on the subgroup of NIHL associated tinnitus patients. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of zinc supplementation in treating NIHL associated tinnitus.
Methods: Twenty patients with tinnitus and a typical NIHL audiogram (38 ears) were included in this study. Another 20 healthy subjects were used as the control group. A full medical history assessment was performed, and each subject underwent an otoscopic examination, basic audiologic evaluation, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), tinnitus-match testing, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and serum zinc level analyses. After 2 months of treatment with zinc, all tests were repeated.
Results: There was a significant difference between pretreatment and post-treatment within the tinnitus group (73.6 vs. 84.6 μg/dl). The pre- and post-treatment difference in serum zinc was significantly higher in the young group (≦50 years) compared to the old group (19.4 ± 11.4 vs. 2.6 ± 9.2 μg/dl, respectively; p = 0.002). There were no statistically significant differences in hearing thresholds, speech reception thresholds, or tinnitus frequency and loudness results before and after treatment. In addition, 17 patients (85%) showed statistically significant improvement of THI-total scores post-treatment, from 38.3 to 30 (p = 0.024).
Conclusions: Zinc oral supplementation elevated serum zinc levels, especially in younger patients. THI scores improved significantly following zinc treatment in patients with NIHL associated tinnitus. However, no improvements in objective hearing parameters were observed.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6468114 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2018.10.009 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Correlation Between the Pitch and Loudness of Tinnitus, Hearing Levels, and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory Scores in Patients with Chronic Subjective Tinnitus.
J Clin Med
November 2024
Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Semmelweis University, Szigony u. 36, H-1083 Budapest, Hungary.
Article Synopsis
- * Significant correlations were found between tinnitus characteristics and hearing loss, with age impacting both tinnitus loudness and hearing levels and sex affecting THI scores.
- * The research suggests that tinnitus pitch and loudness are linked to hearing levels, influenced predominantly by age, and that self-perception of tinnitus severity is primarily tied to its loudness.
What Do Mismatch Negativity (MMN) Responses Tell Us About Tinnitus?
J Assoc Res Otolaryngol
December 2024
Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
Due to the heterogeneous causes, symptoms and associated comorbidities with tinnitus, there remains an unmet need for a clear biomarker of tinnitus presence. Previous research has suggested a "final pathway" of tinnitus presence, which occurs regardless of the specific mechanisms that resulted in alterations of auditory predictions and, eventually, tinnitus perception. Predictive inference mechanisms have been proposed as the possible basis for this final unifying pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDevelopment and Validation of a Shortened Severity Measurement Tool for Tinnitus.
Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg
December 2024
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
Article Synopsis
- A new 9-item questionnaire called the Tinnitus Severity Short Form (TS-SF) is developed to effectively measure tinnitus severity for both clinicians and researchers.
- The study evaluated the TS-SF's validity and reliability through analysis methods including internal consistency and factor analysis, concluding it has a strong reliability score and validity as a predictor of tinnitus severity.
- The TS-SF is beneficial as it is concise, reducing the risk of survey fatigue, and allows for effective tracking of tinnitus severity over a 2-week period.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Induced Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: Database and Systematic Review of Otolaryngologic Adverse Events.
Otol Neurotol
January 2025
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Los Angeles, CA.
Introduction: GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have gained traction in the management of obesity. There is limited literature on the implications of GLP-1 RAs in the field of otolaryngology.
Methods: We explore the association between GLP-1 RAs with eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) and patulous ETD (PETD) by review of cases, literature, and the FDA adverse event database (FAERS).
Prevalence and Intriguing Clinical Profiles of Autoimmune Inner Ear Diseases in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss.
Otol Neurotol
December 2024
Rheumatic Disease Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Phramongkutklao Hospital and College of Medicine.
Introduction: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is idiopathic in 70-90% of cases with 10-30% linked to vascular injuries, viral infections, or autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED). AIED contributes to less than 1% of all hearing losses, categorized into primary, affecting only the inner ear, and secondary, associated with systemic autoimmune diseases (SAID). This study examines the prevalence and features of AIED in SSNHL in a tertiary referral center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!