The association between tinnitus and the risk of ischemic cerebrovascular disease in young and middle-aged patients: A secondary case-control analysis of a nationwide, population-based health claims database

Abstract

BackgroundTinnitus and ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) may share common pathophysiologic mechanisms. Nevertheless, no studies have investigated whether tinnitus is associated with a higher risk of ICVD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of ICVD among young and middle-aged patients with tinnitus.MethodsUsing the Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 3,474 patients 20–45 years old with incident ICVD diagnosed between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2010 and 17,370 controls, frequency matched on age interval, sex, and year of the index date. Risk of ICVD associated with tinnitus was assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses.ResultsTinnitus was significantly associated with a higher risk of incident ICVD among young and middle-aged patients (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34–2.04), adjusting for sex, age, and comorbidities. In addition, sex-stratified analysis showed that the associations were significant in both male (adjusted OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.16–2.07) and female patients (adjusted OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.30–2.41). Furthermore, tinnitus was significantly associated with a higher risk of ICVD in the 20.0–29.9 years (adjusted OR 4.11, 95% CI 1.98–8.52) and 30.0–39.9 years (adjusted OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.57–3.05) age groups, but not in the 40.0–45.0 years age group.ConclusionsTinnitus could be a novel risk factor or clinical indicator for young ischemic stroke, and further investigations are warranted.

Therapeutic effect of vascular interventional therapy and aspirin combined with defibrase on cerebral ischemia in rats

“…Ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) is a disorder of blood supply to the brain based on the pathological changes of the blood vessel wall. Cerebral ischemia in blood supply area causes necrosis of the hypoxia, which in turn leads to local or diffuse brain damage, resulting in a series of neurological deficit syndromes ( 1 , 2 ). With the economic development, improvement of people's living standard and acceleration of population aging, incidence of ICVD in China is gradually increasing.…”

Association of periodic limb movements during sleep and tinnitus in humans

“…2-4 . And, tinnitus often comorbided with other diseases, such as anxiety, depression, brain tumors or stroke, and some symptoms including irritability, inability to concentration, and sleep disturbances [5][6][7] .…”

“…2-4 . And, tinnitus often comorbided with other diseases, such as anxiety, depression, brain tumors or stroke, and some symptoms including irritability, inability to concentration, and sleep disturbances [5][6][7] .Dysfunction in the cochlea, and neural reorganization in the auditory and non-auditory cortices have been reported to be associated with auditory tinnitus 8 . In addition to neuroinflammation and/or oxidative stress damages 9-13 , increased expression of N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NR) gene 14 , decreasedγ-amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor (GR) and cannabinoid receptor genes were found in the cochlea and some brain areas 9,15 .…”

Correlation of carotid artery disease and tinnitus: is it an auditory phantom in vascular surgery practice? A wide evidence-based review

“…Historically, atherosclerosis within the carotids was credited as the main arterial cause of tinnitus. However, arterial stiffness has also become an important parameter that can predict the carotid event and can be correlated with the incidence of stroke [13] .…”