A comparison of interaural asymmetry, audiogram slope, and psychometric measures of tinnitus, hyperacusis, anxiety and depression for patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus

Figures & data

Table 1. Results of independent-samples Welch’s t-tests comparing absolute values of the between-ear differences in hearing threshold levels (HTLs) at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 kHz for participants with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus.

	Unilateral tinnitus Mean (SD)	Bilateral tinnitus Mean (SD)	Difference: mean and 95% CI	p Value	ES and 95% CI
0.25 kHz	9.8 (15) n = 68	5.6 (9.3) n = 107	4.3 (0.3–8.3)	0.036	0.36 (0.054–0.67)
0.5 kHz	10.7 (17) n = 69	6.1 (10) n = 107	4.6 (0.1–9.2)	0.044	0.35 (0.04–0.65)
1 kHz	12.8 (21) n = 69	6.8 (11) n = 107	6.0 (0.7–11.3)	0.026	0.39 (0.087–0.7)
2 kHz	12.2 (19) n = 69	6.8 (10) n = 107	5.4 (0.4–10.3)	0.035	0.37 (0.065–0.68)
4 kHz	15.1 (20) n = 69	7.5 (9.3) n = 106	7.5 (2.5–12.6)	0.004	0.53 (0.21–0.83)
8 kHz	16.9 (21) n = 69	11.4 (12) n = 106	5.5 (0–11.0)	0.051	0.34 (0.036–0.65)

Significant p values are indicated in bold font. The sixth column shows ES values with 95% CIs based on Cohen’s d.

Table 2. Results of independent-samples Welch’s t-tests comparing the pure tone average (PTA) averaged across ears, between-ears difference in PTA (0.25–4 kHz), between-ears difference in high frequency hearing threshold level (HF HTL) (4 and 8 kHz), HTL slope (absolute value of the differences in HTLs between 8 and 1 kHz) for each ear and averaged across ears, scores for the TIQ (Tinnitus Impact Questionnaire), HIQ (Hyperacusis Impact Questionnaire), SAD-T (Screening for Anxiety and Depression-Tinnitus), VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) for Tinnitus Loudness, Tinnitus Annoyance and Effect of Tinnitus on Life, and age for patients with unilateral and bilateral tinnitus.

	Unilateral tinnitus Mean (SD)	Bilateral tinnitus Mean (SD)	Difference: mean and 95% CI	p Value	ES and 95% CI
PTA across ears	22.8 (15) n = 68	21 (12) n = 107	1.7 (−2.6 to 6.0)	0.44	0.12 (−0.18 to 0.43)
PTA of better ears (dB HL)	17.0 (12) n = 69	18.7 (11) n = 107	−1.6 (−5 to 2.0)	0.38	−0.13 (−0.44 to 0.16)
PTA of worse ears (dB HL)	28.4 (21) n = 68	23.5 (15) n = 107	4.8 (−1.0 to 10.7)	0.1	0.27 (−0.03 to 0.58)
Between-ears difference in PTA (dB)	11 (17) n = 68	4.8 (8.9) n = 107	6.2 (1.8 to 10.7)	0.006	0.49 (0.18 to 0.8)
Between-ears difference at HF (dB)	14.5 (19.9) n = 69	8.1 (8.3) n = 106	6.4 (1.4 to 11.5)	0.013	0.45 (0.14 to 0.76)
HTL slope averaged across ears (dB/oct)	8.8 (5.3) n = 69	8.4 (6.3) n = 106	1.1 (−4.0 to 6.4)	0.67	0.064 (−0.24 to 0.37)
TIQ score (0–21)	6.6 (5.6) n = 113	7 (5.5) n = 176	−0.5 (−1.8 to 0.8)	0.44	−0.09 (−0.33 to 0.14)
HIQ score (0–24)	3.5 (4.9) n = 95	4.9 (5.9) n = 147	−1.4 (−2.8 to −0.0)	0.049	−0.25 (−0.51 to 0.01)
SSSQ score (0–15)	2.2 (2.7) n = 98	2.4 (3.1) n = 157	−0.16 (−0.87 to 0.55)	0.66	−0.05 (−0.31 to 0.19)
SAD–T score (0–12)	3.6 (3.4) n = 114	3.4 (3.4) n = 185	0.12 (−0.7 to 0.92)	0.76	0.03 (−0.19 to 0.27)
VAS Tinnitus Loudness (0–10)	6.5 (1.8) n = 116	6.4 (1.9) n = 185	0.11 (−0.32 to 0.55)	0.61	0.06 (−0.17 to 0.29)
VAS Tinnitus Annoyance (0–10)	7 (2.4) n = 116	6.7 (2.5) n = 184	0.25 (−0.32 to 0.83)	0.38	0.10 (−0.13 to 0.33)
VAS Tinnitus Life Impact (0–10)	6 (2.7) n = 116	5.7 (2.7) n = 183	0.22 (−0.39 to 0.85)	0.47	0.08 (−0.15 to 0.32)
Age (years)	54.6 (17) n = 120	53 (15) n = 191	1.5 (−2.1 to 5.2)	0.42	0.09 (−0.13 to 0.32)

Significant p values are indicated in bold font. The sixth column shows ES with 95% CIs values based on Cohen’s d.