Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2025

Modified Experimental Conditions for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Mice and Assessment of Hearing Function and Outer Hair Cell Damage
Published on: February 10, 2023
Noise and the risk of tinnitus: A two-sample Mendelian randomized study
He-Sen Huang1, Kai-Qin Chen2, Wen-Kao Zhou3
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Xiang'an Hospital of Xiamen University Xiamen Fujian China.
Objectives:
Observational studies imply that noise may increase the likelihood of developing tinnitus. However, no causal relationship has been established between the two using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, we aimed to determine the potential causal relationship between noise and various categories of tinnitus.
Methods:
We extracted single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with noise and tinnitus from a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) of European individuals. UK Biobank (UKB) provided summary data for both entities. Inverse variance weighting (IVW) was implemented as the primary method for evaluating effect estimates. Using Weighted median and MR-Egger regression, heterogeneity and pleiotropy were evaluated using sensitivity analyses.
Results:
The random-effects IVW approach revealed a causal relationship between noise and the three onset tinnitus (odds ratio [OR] = 1.052, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.013-1.092, p = 0.008; OR = 1.248, 95% CI = 1.177-1.323, p = 0.001; OR = 1.133, 95% CI = 1.058-1.213, p = 0.001). Noise was not a risk factor for tinnitus in the past (OR = 0.999, 95% CI = 0.934-1.068, p = 0.969). Validation with various Mendelian randomization methodologies and sensitivity analyses confirmed the findings' consistency.
Conclusion:
This Mendelian Randomization study provides causal evidence that noise is a risk factor for the onset of tinnitus but is not a risk factor for developing tinnitus in the past.
Related Concept Videos
Regression Toward the Mean
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies
Randomized Experiments
Simple randomization
Simple...
Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Test for Median of Single Population

