Global Prevalence and Incidence of Tinnitus

Abstract

ImportanceTo date, no systematic review has taken a meta-analytic approach to estimating the prevalence and incidence of tinnitus in the general population.ObjectiveTo provide frequency estimates of tinnitus worldwide.Data SourcesAn umbrella review followed by a traditional systematic review was performed by searching PubMed-MEDLINE and Embase from inception through November 19, 2021.Study SelectionResearch data from the general population were selected, and studies based on patients or on subgroups of the population with selected lifestyle habits were excluded. No restrictions were applied according to date, age, sex, and country.Data Extraction and SynthesisRelevant extracted information included type of study, time and location, end point, population characteristics, and tinnitus definition. The study followed the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) reporting guideline.Main Outcomes and MeasuresPooled prevalence estimates of any tinnitus, severe tinnitus, chronic tinnitus, and diagnosed tinnitus as well as incidence of tinnitus were obtained using random-effects meta-analytic models; heterogeneity between studies was controlled using the χ2 test, and inconsistency was measured using the I2 statistic.ResultsAmong 767 publications, 113 eligible articles published between 1972 and 2021 were identified, and prevalence estimates from 83 articles and incidence estimates from 12 articles were extracted. The pooled prevalence of any tinnitus among adults was 14.4% (95% CI, 12.6%-16.5%) and ranged from 4.1% (95% CI, 3.7%-4.4%) to 37.2% (95% CI, 34.6%-39.9%). Prevalence estimates did not significantly differ by sex (14.1% [95% CI, 11.6%-17.0%] among male individuals; 13.1% [95% CI, 10.5%-16.2%] among female individuals), but increased prevalence was associated with age (9.7% [95% CI, 7.4%-12.5%] among adults aged 18-44 years; 13.7% [95% CI, 11.0%-17.0%] among those aged 45-64 years; and 23.6% [95% CI, 19.4%-28.5%] among those aged ≥65 years; P < .001 among age groups). The pooled prevalence of severe tinnitus was 2.3% (95% CI, 1.7%-3.1%), ranging from 0.5% (95% CI, 0.3%-0.7%) to 12.6% (95% CI, 11.1%-14.1%). The pooled prevalence of chronic tinnitus was 9.8% (95% CI, 4.7%-19.3%) and the pooled prevalence of diagnosed tinnitus was 3.4% (95% CI, 2.1%-5.5%). The pooled incidence rate of any tinnitus was 1164 per 100 000 person-years (95% CI, 479-2828 per 100 000 person-years).Conclusions and RelevanceDespite the substantial heterogeneity among studies, this comprehensive systematic review on the prevalence and incidence of tinnitus suggests that tinnitus affects more than 740 million adults globally and is perceived as a major problem by more than 120 million people, mostly aged 65 years or older. Health policy makers should consider the global burden of tinnitus, and greater effort should be devoted to boost research on tinnitus.

“The two voices,” or more? Music and gender from myth and conquests to the neurosciences

“…Neuroscience of tinnitus—a perceived, phantom impression of sound without an external source or stimulus—has produced a vast body of work in recent years. This condition, affecting a percentage of the population variably estimated from 4.1% to 37.2% and pooled meta‐analysis set at 14.4% (Jarach et al, 2022), is well known to particularly impact the life of professional musicians (Burns‐O'Connell et al, 2021; Schmidt et al, 2019), and musical elements can also play a role as treatment components (Pantev et al, 2012). A complex disorder caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, tinnitus has most recently spurred a dedicated research thread on the pertinent sex/gender differences, introducing a more detailed consideration of “Sex/(gender) as a Biological Variable” (SABV) into this domain.…”

Tinnitus Prevalence in the Adult Population—Results from the Gutenberg Health Study

“…Patients may define their tinnitus by the limitations they experience in daily life, while others may not be bothered by their tinnitus [ 2 ]. Studies have reported highly variable tinnitus prevalence, ranging from 4% to 37% worldwide and from 9% to 29% in Europe [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Some authors also report tinnitus defined according to the time of its occurrence or according to the perceived distress [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Serum Vitamin D Concentration Is Lower in Patients with Tinnitus: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

“…in the lack of vibration of an external elastic body, which can be perceived as subjective or objective (i.e., can be heard by an outside observer), pulsatile (e.g., most often heart rhythmic) or not [ 1 , 2 ]. According to recent data, the different forms of tinnitus have a dramatically high burden in the general population, with annual incidence in adults ranging between 1–14% (2% with severe forms) and prevalence of 10% in young adults, increasing to 14% in middle-aged adults, and peaking at 24% in older adults (around 2.3% with severe phenotype), respectively [ 3 ]. The burden of this condition has also consistently increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic [ 4 ], due to direct viral injury of sensorineural hearing apparatus [ 5 ], compounded by a considerable onset of COVID-19-realted psychosocial conditions in the general population (e.g., stress, anxiety and depression) that may have worsened a pre-existing tinnitus [ 6 ].…”