Seasonal affective disorder in patients with chronic tinnitus

To investigate the point prevalence of SAD, degrees of anxiety/depression/sleep disturbance, and characteristics of tinnitus in patients with chronic tinnitus.

Cross-sectional survey study.

From December 2012 to February 2014, 100 patients with chronic persistent or intermittent tinnitus (>3 months) were enrolled. Audiograms, tinnitograms, and Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) were used to assess tinnitus. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) assessment and questionnaires about anxiety/depression/sleep disturbance/SAD were administered.

The male:female ratio was 48:52, and the mean age was 55.0 years. The numbers of patients with suspected SAD and subsyndromal SAD (S-SAD) were nine (9.0%) and 11 (11.0%), respectively. Winter was the most uncomfortable season. Nine patients had a catastrophic THI score >76 (11.1% in the SAD group, 27.3% in the S-SAD group, and 6.3% in the control group), suggesting a significant correlation between SAD/S-SAD and THI (P = .042). Audiogram, tinnitogram, VAS assessment, and sleep disturbance testing revealed no significant differences among the three groups. Anxiety tests yielded more abnormal findings in the SAD group than in the control group (State Anxiety Inventory score: 33.3% vs. 3.3%, respectively, P = .012; Trait Anxiety Inventory score: 22.2% vs. 1.3%, respectively, P = .002). Depression test scores were significantly higher in the SAD/S-SAD groups than in the control group (35.0% vs. 21.3%, respectively; P = .005).

Suspected SAD and/or S-SAD in chronic tinnitus patients were correlated with THI, anxiety, and depression. Understanding SAD in tinnitus patients may be important to manage these patients effectively.

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