Objectives: We investigated the effects of subjective tinnitus on sleep quality and Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scores of participants.
Methods: The study group consisted of 15 patients, including 21 ears with tinnitus (6 bilateral, 9 unilateral). The control group consisted of 8 healthy patients with normal hearing and no tinnitus (16 ears). We assessed sleep quality using the Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ) and mental health using the MMSE.
Results: Sleep delay (SD) was significantly higher in tinnitus patients (5.28 +/- 2.23) compared to controls (3.25 +/- 2.56) (p = 0.018). Subjective tinnitus loudness level (STLL) scores were higher and sleep quality was impaired in females, older patients, and patients with lower MMSE scores. Sleep quality was also worse in patients with longer tinnitus duration. In younger and well educated patients, MMSE scores were higher. Higher STLL scores and shorter tinnitus duration were associated with lower MMSE scores. Patients with newly developed tinnitus reported more disturbances and showed greater effects on mental and cognitive functioning.
Conclusion: In subjective tinnitus patients, sleep delay values increased. Long tinnitus duration and high STLL scores may affects patients' cognitive functions as shown by decreased MMSE scores. Furthermore, mental status changes in tinnitus patients were frequently overlooked.