van der Wijk, Lieke (2024) Evaluation of tinnitus burden and quality of life: 1 year follow up of patients seen at the tinnitus outpatient clinic. thesis, Medicine.
Full text available on request.Abstract
Introduction: Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of external stimuli, is a prevalent and burdensome issue. This study assesses the impact of a visit to a tertiary tinnitus clinic. The research explores improvements in QoL (Quality of Life) and tinnitus burden at one year follow up and identifies interventions and predictors influencing Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) scores. The TFI serves as a valuable assessment tool, but gaps persist in longitudinal studies. Methods: Conducted at the UMCG Otorhinolaryngology Department, this cohort study involved tinnitus patients willing to participate in a one-year follow-up in the form of a questionnaire. The main outcome measure is the difference in TFI score. Secondary outcomes assessed the difference in TFI scores over time, its subscales and a QoL scale. Furthermore differences in treatment options and risk factors were explored. Results: Between February 2020 and November 2023, 641 patients were invited, and 166 completed questionnaires were analyzed. The paired t-test showed a significant TFI score decrease at follow-up (M = 44.92, SE = 1.86) compared to baseline (M = 53.68, SE = 1.58), t(160) = -5,95, p < 0.05. Clinically significant improvement was observed in 38.5% of patients. In exploring interventions, no significant TFI score differences emerged between patients with and without interventions or among treatment groups. However, different interventions seem to target distinct TFI subscales. Risk factor analysis indicated that higher age and sleeping problems predicted lower odds of improvement. Conclusions: The overall TFI scores significantly decreased at follow up in patients who have visited the outpatient clinic, suggesting that there is potential for improvement. Although the difference in interventions was not significant, these findings do emphasize the importance of considering co-occurring symptoms and patient characteristics when deciding on interventions.
| Item Type: | Thesis (UNSPECIFIED) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Pyott, Sonja and de Kleine, Emile |
| Faculty: | Medical Sciences |
| Date Deposited: | 07 Feb 2025 13:37 |
| Last Modified: | 07 Feb 2025 13:37 |
| URI: | https://umcg.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3802 |
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