title: Characterization of tinnitus in the elderly and its possible related disorders.
abstract: Population aging it is a current reality in Brazil and tinnitus appears as a very prevalent symptom, having a high impact on the quality of life of elderly patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and to characterize tinnitus in this group.
  
  
  METHODS
  A research questionnaire randomly given to 100 elderly patients in a tertiary hospital, asking about tinnitus characteristics, its impact on the life of the patient, and personal medical history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  61% of the participants were female, average age average was 69.53 years. The results associated with tinnitus features were: no-pulsatile 76%, continuous 54%, bilateral 57%, recent 62% and alone 83%;32,5% had emotional disorders, 31.8% had sleep disorders, 22.5% had difficulties concentration and 13.2% had social problems; 39% classified their tinnitus in moderate; 35% had intense tinnitus and 26% considered it a mild one: as to comorbidities: relation with neurotology symptoms and hypertension; as for associations with audiometry findings: descending, sensorineural and symmetrical curves prevailed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tinnitus has a relevant impact on the lives of the elderly; there was no correlation between the level of hearing loss and the level of patient dissatisfaction caused by tinnitus; and presbycusis was the most common finding in the audiometric tests.
authors: Departamento de Saúde Comunitária, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará.
authors: Lidiane Maria de Brito Macedo
authors: LM
authors: Ferreira
authors: Alberto Novaes
authors: AN
authors: Ramos Júnior
authors: Eveline Pereira
authors: EP
authors: Mendes
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology