title: Incidence of tinnitus in mp3 player users.
abstract: Exposure to loud noise is one of the main causes of tinnitus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the incidence of tinnitus in mp3 player users and non-users.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred subjects aged from 15 to 30 years were enrolled, 54 of them were regular mp3 player users and 46 were not. Patients with continuous tinnitus for at least 6 months completed the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and were tested with high frequency audiometry and transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TAOE).
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional cohort study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of tinnitus in non-users was about 8 %; in mp3 player users it was about 28 %, a statistically significant difference. Hearing thresholds at 8 kHz were significantly higher in tinnitus patients that used mp3 portable players.TAOE were reduced at 2 kHz in the users group. No statistically significant difference was found in the THI scores between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tinnitus was more frequent in teenagers and young adults who regularly listen to mp3 music in players. Moreover, the incidence of tinnitus among mp3 player users was associated with higher hearing thresholds at 8 kHz and lower TOAE at 2 kHz.
authors: ENT Unit, Valença Medical School, Faculdade de Medicina de Valença, RJ.
authors: Ricardo Rodrigues
authors: RR
authors: Figueiredo
authors: Andreia Aparecida de
authors: AA
authors: Azevedo
authors: Patrícia Mello de
authors: PM
authors: Oliveira
authors: Sandro Pereira Vasconcellos
authors: SP
authors: Amorim
authors: Artur Guedes
authors: AG
authors: Rios
authors: Vanderlei
authors: V
authors: Baptista
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry / Q000379:methods; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D055539:MP3-Player; D008297:Male; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult