title: Prospective Associations Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Postdeployment Tinnitus in Active-Duty Marines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether cause, severity, and frequency of traumatic brain injury (TBI) increase risk of postdeployment tinnitus when accounting for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-report and clinical assessments were done before and after an "index" deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan.
  Assessments took place on Marine Corps bases in southern California and the VA San Diego Medical Center. Participants were 1647 active-duty enlisted Marine and Navy servicemen who completed pre- and postdeployment assessments of the Marine Resiliency Study. The main outcome was the presence of tinnitus at 3 months postdeployment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Predeployment TBI increased the likelihood of new-onset postdeployment tinnitus (odds ratio [OR] = 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-2.70). Deployment-related TBIs increased the likelihood of postdeployment tinnitus (OR = 2.65; 95% CI, 1.19-5.89). Likelihood of new-onset postdeployment tinnitus was highest for those who were blast-exposed (OR = 2.93; 95% CI, 1.82-6.17), who reported moderate-severe TBI symptoms (OR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.22-3.40), and who sustained multiple TBIs across study visits (OR = 2.27; 95% CI, 1.44-4.24). Posttraumatic stress disorder had no effect on tinnitus outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participants who were blast-exposed, sustained multiple TBIs, and reported moderate-severe TBI symptoms were most at risk for new-onset tinnitus.
authors.affiliation: VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California (Drs Yurgil, Risbrough, Geyer, and Baker); VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego, California (Drs Yurgil, Risbrough, and Baker); Department of Psychological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana (Dr Yurgil); Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California (Dr Clifford); Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Clifford); Departments of Psychiatry (Drs Risbrough, Geyer, and Baker) and Radiology (Dr Huang), University of California San Diego; Department of Preventive Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (Dr Barkauskas); VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Vasterling); VA National Center for PTSD, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Vasterling); and Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr Vasterling).
authors.forename: Kate A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yurgil
authors.forename: Royce E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.forename: Victoria B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Risbrough
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Geyer
authors.forename: Mingxiong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Barkauskas
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Vasterling
authors.forename: Dewleen G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000150:complications; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology*; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare; D055815:Young Adult