Objective: To assess the impact of tinnitus in fibromyalgia.
Methods: A quantitative controlled study was carried out. The 25-item Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) were administered to 27 patients who fulfilled the revised diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia of the American College of Rheumatology and to 26 healthy controls who had no history of suffering from fibromyalgia or any other rheumatological or neurological illness.
Results: The two groups were matched for age, sex and ethnicity. The fibromyalgia patients were significantly more likely to suffer from tinnitus than the controls: 16 (59.3%) of the patients suffered from tinnitus, compared with two (7.7%) of the controls (p < 0.001). The median (interquartile range) total THI score for the fibromyalgia group was 6 (44), which was significantly higher than that of 0 (0) for the control group (p < 0.001). The fibromyalgia group scored significantly higher than the control group for 24 of the 25 THI items. The total THI score across all subjects was positively correlated with the FIQR scores (rs = 0.408, p = 0.002).
Conclusion: Fibromyalgia is associated with a relatively high prevalence of tinnitus.
Keywords: Daily living; Fibromyalgia; Tinnitus; Tinnitus Handicap Inventory.