Correlation between clinical characteristics and tinnitus severity in tinnitus patients of different sexes: an analytic retrospective study

Purpose This study aimed to explore whether sex is influences tinnitus severity and whether the risk factors for tinnitus severity are the same in tinnitus patients of different sexes. Methods This was a retrospective study of data from 1427 patients complaining of tinnitus in a local hospital otolaryngology clinic from November 2019 to January 2022. All patients were interviewed and assessed by otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry, tinnitus handicap inventory (THI), visual analogue scale (VAS), and tinnitus refinement test. Results THI values were higher in females than in males ( P = 0.00). Types of tinnitus sounds (OR 0.667, P = 0.000) and degree of hearing loss (OR 1.318, P = 0.000) were risk factors for tinnitus severity in males. Types of tinnitus sounds (OR 0.789, P = 0.005), sensation level (OR 1.023, P = 0.037), tinnitus types (OR 1.163, P = 0.041), tinnitus location (OR 1.198, P = 0.026), and the degree of hearing loss (OR 1.303, P = 0.000) were risk factors for tinnitus severity in females. Sex was an influencing factor for tinnitus severity. There were different risk factors for the tinnitus severity in different sexes. Conclusion The risk factors for tinnitus severity differed according to sex in tinnitus patients, and the risk factors for tinnitus severity were greater in women than in men. These findings add to the literature on sex differences in tinnitus and suggest that medical and psychological screening of affected individuals and customized tinnitus treatment for each individual with tinnitus are needed. Trial registration number/date of registration ChiCTR2200057958, 2022/3/24 (retrospectively registered trials).