Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38570612›Full record

ArticleJournal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology2025

Noise annoyance due to different sources is associated with tinnitus presence and distress in the general population.

Omar Hahad, Julia Döge, Katharina Bahr-Hamm, Manfred E Beutel, Konstantin Kontohow-Beckers, Alexander K Schuster, Karsten Keller, Lukas Hobohm, Volker H Schmitt, Emilio Gianicolo and 5 more

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.

Omar Hahad *Department of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany. omar.hahad@unimedizin-mainz.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7823-7671
Julia Döge *Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Katharina Bahr-HammDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Manfred E BeutelDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Konstantin Kontohow-BeckersPreventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Alexander K SchusterDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Karsten KellerDepartment of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Lukas HobohmDepartment of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Volker H SchmittDepartment of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Emilio GianicoloInstitute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Karl J LacknerInstitute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Andreas DaiberDepartment of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Philipp S WildGerman Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany.
Berit HackenbergDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Thomas MünzelDepartment of Cardiology - Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe pathophysiology of tinnitus is not yet fully understood. Although there is a large amount of evidence associating traffic noise exposure with non-auditory health outcomes, there is no evidence regarding the impact of noise annoyance on auditory disorders such as tinnitus.

objectiveThus, we aimed to investigate the association between noise annoyance due to different sources and tinnitus presence and distress in the general population.

methodsData of 6813 participants from a large German population-based cohort were used (Gutenberg Health Study). Participants were asked about the presence of tinnitus and how much they were bothered by it. In addition, information on annoyance from road traffic, aircraft, railways, industrial, and neighborhood noise during the day and sleep was collected through validated questionnaires.

resultsThe prevalence of tinnitus was 27.3%, and the predominant sources of noise annoyance in these subjects were aircraft, neighborhood, and road traffic noise. Overall, logistic regression results demonstrated consistent positive associations between annoyance due to different noise sources and prevalent risk of tinnitus with increases in odds ratios ranging from 4 to 11% after adjustment for sex, age, and socioeconomic status. Likewise, consistent increases in odds ratios were observed for tinnitus distress in subjects with prevalent tinnitus. For instance, neighborhood noise annoyance during the sleep was associated with a 26% increase in tinnitus distress (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13; 1.39). IMPACT: This is the first study investigating the association between noise annoyance and tinnitus presence and distress in a large cohort of the general population. Our results indicate consistent and positive associations between various sources of noise annoyance and tinnitus. These unprecedented findings are highly relevant as noise annoyance and tinnitus are widespread. The precise etiology and locus of tinnitus remain unknown, but excessive noise exposure is thought to be among the major causes. This study suggests that transportation and neighborhood noise levels thought merely to contribute to annoyance and non-auditory health effects may be sufficient to cause or exacerbate tinnitus.

Indexed as

Environmental ExposureNoiseNoise, TransportationTinnitusAdultAgedAircraftCohort StudiesFemaleGermanyHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceResidence CharacteristicsSurveys and QuestionnairesAuditory systemEnvironmental risk factorNoise annoyanceStressTinnitusTinnitus distress

Identifiers

PMID38570612
PMCPMC11876070
OpenAlexW4393902516

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.