부산대학교 도서관

PRECIS:: This study aims to investigate the association between primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and tinnitus. We found that tinnitus was significantly associated with pre-existing POAG (adjusted OR=1.298). PURPOSE:: To investigate the association between POAG and tinnitus using nationwide population-based data from Taiwan. METHODS:: Data for this case-control study were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for all 542,682 patients with a first-time diagnosis of tinnitus (cases), and 1,628,046 propensity score-matched controls from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance system. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to estimate the odds (ORs) of prior POAG among cases versus controls. RESULTS:: Of total 2,170,728 study patients, 85,257 (3.93%) had POAG prior to the index date of tinnitus, 25,496 (4.70%) among cases and 59,761 (3.67%) among controls (P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between prior POAG and tinnitus (OR 1.298, 95% CI=1.278-1.318) after adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographic location, and residential urbanization level, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, alcohol abuse, nicotine dependence, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS:: Patients with POAG have a higher risk of tinnitus compared to those without the disease. Ophthalmologists should be aware of this association and further studies are needed to understand underlying mechanisms.