The SF-36 Health Survey in tinnitus patients with a high jugular bulb.
OBJECTIVE
This prospective study investigated the multi-item patient functions of health concepts using the SF-36 Health Survey in tinnitus patients with a high jugular bulb (HJB).


METHODS
The study group consisted of 10 adult tinnitus patients (7 males, 3 females) with an HJB on temporal bone high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). The control group consisted of 10 healthy patients with normal hearing levels (7 males and 3 females) without tinnitus. Using a questionnaire, a tinnitus loudness level score (TLL-Sc) was found. Using the SF-36 questionnaire, eight health concepts were evaluated: physical functioning (PF), role limitations due to physical problems (RP), social functioning (SF), bodily pain (BP), general mental health (MH), role limitations due to emotional problems (RE), vitality (VT), and general health perceptions (GH).


RESULTS
SF and VT scores were significantly lower in the study group (p < .05). As the duration of the tinnitus increased, sleep problems and impaired SF-36 scores were seen. Higher TLL-Scs did not cause lower quality of life (QOL) scores, even though they are associated with significantly higher sleep disturbance. In males, TLL-Scs seem to be higher and SF-36 domains lower than in females. Older patients have lower TLL-Scs and do not have impaired HJB-related QOL results, although they do have sleep problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Longer tinnitus duration, male gender, and sleeping problems may impair QOL. With higher TLL-Scs, QOL results are not lower owing to patients' getting used to living with their tinnitus. According to the SF-36 Health Survey, tinnitus patients appear to have a higher level of emotional disability than physical disability.
Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey. nurayb@hotmail.com
Nuray Bayar
NB
Muluk
D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed