The relationship between blood types and tinnitus in individuals with normal hearing tinnitus

Background and Aim: Tinnitus can be defined as the conscious awareness of a sound without an external auditory stimulus. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between tinnitus and blood groups in individuals with normal hearing and tinnitus from four different blood groups. Material and Methods: After obtaining the study ethics committee approval and informed consent form, 60 volunteer individuals who were within normal hearing limits and applied to the clinic with complaints of tinnitus at the ENT Medical Center were included. Individuals were statistically analyzed for their transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) responses in four different blood groups and their Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) and SF-36 quality of life scale scores in terms of tinnitus. Results: In this study, no relationship was found between blood groups based on transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) responses, while lower amplitude values were obtained in all responses. Significant correlations were found between the THI and the characteristic features of tinnitus and between the THI and the SF-36 quality of life scale. Conclusion: The findings of the presented study revealed that tinnitus has significant negative effects on the quality of life of individuals and that certain blood groups may differ in terms of tinnitus severity and perception.