Association Between Tinnitus and Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

ObjectiveEvaluating the association between arterial hypertension and tinnitus while controlling for gender, race, diabetes, hearing loss, and depression as potential confounders.Study DesignThe present study employed a cross-sectional design.SettingHealth interviews were conducted in the respondents’ homes.PatientsRespondents represent a nationwide sample of the noninstitutionalized civilian population of the United States. A total of 5,735 adults were identified by the NHANES 2015 to 2016 questionnaires.InterventionsQuestionnaires were administered to each participant.Main Outcome MeasuresParticipants’ responses regarding tinnitus, hypertension, hearing loss, depression, diabetes, and demographics were used to evaluate potential associations. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted on different age groups with the presence of hypertension as the response variable.ResultsParticipants aged 20 to 39 with tinnitus were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with hypertension (OR = 2.49; p = 0.024) after adjusting for potential confounding. No significant association between tinnitus and hypertension was found for older age groups. The diagnosis of diabetes was associated with hypertension in ages 20 to 39 (OR = 7.11; p = 0.001), 40 to 59 (OR = 3.45; p = 0.020), and 60 to 69 (OR = 3.89; p = 0.032).ConclusionsTinnitus is associated with hypertension in younger age groups of 20 to 39 years of age but not in age groups greater than 40 years. Diabetes is also associated with hypertension in individuals aged 20 to 69 years. This finding of tinnitus as a risk factor for hypertension in younger populations may inform better clinical practice and lead to earlier detection of hypertension in at-risk patients.

Identifying Health-Related Conditions Associated with Tinnitus in Young Adults

“…We obtained a significant association between tinnitus and hypertension in young adults. These findings are consistent with a recent study using the NHANES database that showed a significant association between bothersome tinnitus and hypertension in young adults [ 69 ]. We observed significant tinnitus associations with scarlet fever, malaria, and meningitis, but these associations should be interpreted with caution because only a small number of participants reported these conditions.…”

COVID-19 vaccination-related tinnitus is associated with pre-vaccination metabolic disorders

“…The common risk factors for the COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccination-related tinnitus suggest that they might share some common mechanisms. Tinnitus is generally associated with hypertension, diabetes and obesity ( Gibrin, Melo and Marchiori, 2013 ; Yang, Ma, Zheng, Yang and Lin, 2015 ; Figueiredo, Azevedo and Penido, 2016 ; Mousavi, Sajadinejad, Khorsandi and Farhadi, 2021 ; Ameen et al, 2022 ; Patel et al, 2022 ; Ramatsoma and Patrick, 2022 ; Özbey-Yücel and Uçar, 2023 ). Further studies are needed to determine whether these metabolic disorders interact synergistically with COVID-19 vaccination.…”