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CC BY 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2025; 29(03): s00451802968
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1802968
Systematic Review

Characteristics of Tinnitus in Patients Affected by COVID-19: A Systematic Review

Authors

  • Daniella Wuttke Doutrelepont 

    1   Speech Therapy Course, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

  • Carolina Pereira Fernandes

    1   Speech Therapy Course, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

  • Luiza Silva Vernier

    1   Speech Therapy Course, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

  • Marcia Salgado Machado

    1   Speech Therapy Course, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

Funding The authors declare that they did not receive funding from agencies in the public, private, or non-profit sectors to conduct the present study.
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Abstract

Introduction

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has brought up reports of an increase in new cases of tinnitus and changes in chronic and/or preexisting episodes. Nevertheless, there is no established data on the characteristics of tinnitus and its correlation with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Objective

To analyze the characteristics of tinnitus in subjects affected by COVID-19 while detailing the correlation between these two factors.

Data Synthesis

We found 327 articles, 37 of which were selected: 11 cross-sectional studies, 4 case-control studies, 3 cohort studies, and 19 observational studies. The sum of the samples totaled 399,524 patients included in the present review. The prevalence of new tinnitus varied from 0.2% to 96.2%. Most articles provided incomplete information or were missing information. Systemic arterial hypertension was the most common underlying disease. Finally, we found a predominance of hearing loss and olfactory and taste disorders, followed by fever and cough.

Conclusion

The prevalence of new tinnitus ranged from 0.2 to 96.2%, whereas the prevalence of preexisting tinnitus varied from 8 to 76.2%. It was not possible to satisfactorily assess the characteristics of tinnitus. Therefore, a direct correlation between tinnitus and COVID-19 could not be determined, as this symptom may be influenced by other factors.

Keywords

COVID-19 - tinnitus - audiology - characteristics


Publication History

Received: 14 February 2024

Accepted: 01 January 2025

Article published online:
20 August 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Bibliographical Record
Daniella Wuttke Doutrelepont, Carolina Pereira Fernandes, Luiza Silva Vernier, Marcia Salgado Machado. Characteristics of Tinnitus in Patients Affected by COVID-19: A Systematic Review. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2025; 29: s00451802968.
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1802968