Correlation Between Tinnitus and Serum Uric Acid In Patients With and Without Hearing Loss

Abstract

Background: Tinnitus is a prevalent audiological symptom with multifactorial etiologies, and the relationship between tinnitus severity and systemic biochemical markers remains incompletely understood; serum uric acid (SUA), a major circulating antioxidant that may become pro-oxidant at higher concentrations, has been implicated in vascular and metabolic dysfunction and may be relevant to auditory symptoms. Objective: To determine the correlation between tinnitus severity and SUA levels in tinnitus patients with and without hearing loss. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in ENT/audiology clinics at Services Hospita, and Sheikh Zaid Hospital, Lahore. Adults aged 25–55 years with diagnosed tinnitus were recruited using purposive sampling. Hearing status was determined using pure-tone audiometry, tinnitus severity was measured using the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), and SUA was quantified from venous blood samples. Data were analyzed using SPSS v25. Results: Among 72 participants (55.6% male; mean age 39.88±9.89 years), 50.0% had hearing loss. Mean THI score was 58.78±15.95 and mean SUA was 5.65±1.73 mg/dL; 61.1% had high SUA. Severe-to-profound tinnitus was more frequent in hearing loss than normal hearing (30/36 vs 8/36), with higher mean THI (69.61±12.44 vs 47.94±10.94) and higher SUA (6.87±1.33 vs 4.43±1.12). THI correlated strongly with SUA (r=0.879; p<0.001). Conclusion: Tinnitus severity shows a strong positive correlation with SUA levels, and both tinnitus handicap and SUA are higher in tinnitus patients with hearing loss.