Lifestyle Determinants Associated with Tinnitus among Young Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss (tinnitus) is common among young adults. There are different medical determinants which caused tinnitus symptoms, but lifestyle determinant is an important cause of tinnitus. This study determines the relationship between lifestyle determinants with tinnitus among adults through systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The study design for this study is a systematic review and meta-analysis; different search engines were used for the literature review: Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed/MEDLINE. Those article in which tinnitus caused by tumors, syndrome and medical or surgical caused were excluded. Data synthesis was done, and a total of 10 studies were pooled. Results: Smoking more than four times (odds ratio [OR]: 4.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01–4.45), alcohol consumption 27% less likely (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.03–0.96), obesity two times more likely (OR: 2.30, 95% CI: 1.71–5.20), and leisure noise exposure more than one time more likely (OR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.05–3.78) were significantly associated with tinnitus. Conclusion: There is enough evidence that lifestyle determinants (smoking, obesity, and leisure noise exposure) are related to tinnitus. This study highlights the knowledge gap in association of tinnitus with lifestyle determinants and it will help the future direction of research in this domain of tinnitus.