title: Evaluation of tinnitus patients by audiometric configuration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although tinnitus patients have different audiometric configuration, we evaluated them using the same approach. Thus we analyzed the clinical features of patients with subjective tinnitus classified according to audiometric configuration.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study cohort consisted of 123 patients with subjective tinnitus who visited the tinnitus clinic from April 2013 to April 2014. Patients with a previous history of otologic disease or migrainous vertigo were excluded. Factors evaluated included pure tone audiometry, tinnitogram, auditory brainstem response (ABR), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tinnitus patients could be divided into three groups: Flat, high frequency gently sloping (HFGS) and high frequency steeply sloping (HFSS). HFGS showed female predominance and HFSS male predominance (p<0.05 each). THI score was higher in the HFGS than in the other groups (p<0.05). Tinnitus pitch and occupations varied, but showed specific tendencies in each group. On ABR, the HFSS group showed significant prolongation of wave I, III, and V latencies (p<0.05 each). On DPOAEs, the HFSS group showed significantly lower response rates at 3, 4, and 6 kHz (p<0.05 each). TEOAE normal rates were significantly higher in the Flat than in the HFGS and HFSS groups (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Average pure tone thresholds were similar, but threshold values at high frequencies, ABR, DPOAEs, and TEOAEs differed among the groups. Therefore, different access to tinnitus patients could be required according to audiometric shape.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Su Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Changwon Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Changwon, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Gu
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical Science and Engineering Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species, BK-21, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Su
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yong
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon Suh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea. Electronic address: yeo2park@yahoo.co.kr.
authors.forename: Seung Geun
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology