The Efficacy of a Food Supplement in the Treatment of Tinnitus with Comorbid Headache: A Statistical and Machine Learning Analysis with a Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

Tinnitus, the perception of sound without an external auditory stimulus, affects approximately 10-15% of the population and is often associated with significant comorbidities such as headaches. These conditions can severely impact the quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a food supplement in reducing the symptoms of both tinnitus and headache in patients experiencing these conditions concurrently.

METHODS

This prospective study included 32 patients (21 males and 11 females) aged between 23 and 68 years (mean age 49.38 years) who were experiencing both tinnitus and headache. The study assessed the impact of a food supplement on tinnitus and headache over a 90-day treatment period using three main instruments: the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), the Headache Impact Test (HIT-6), and a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for discomfort. Statistical analyses, including paired t tests, were conducted to compare pre- and posttreatment scores. In the same dataset, Ridge Regression, a linear regression model with L2 regularization, was used to predict posttreatment scores (THI90, HIT90, VAS90).

RESULTS

The results indicated a statistically significant reduction in all three measures after 90 days of treatment. The mean THI score decreased from 29.81 to 27.06 (p = 0.011), the mean HIT-6 score decreased from 50.41 to 48.75 (p = 0.019), and the mean VAS score for discomfort decreased from 7.63 to 7.13 (p = 0.033). The optimal Ridge Regression model was found with an "alpha" value of approximately 3.73. The performance metrics on the test set were as follows: Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 13.91 and an R-squared score of 0.61, indicating that the model explains approximately 61% of the variance in the posttreatment scores. These results indicate that pretreatment scores are significant predictors of posttreatment outcomes, and gender plays a notable role in predicting HIT and VAS scores posttreatment.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that a food supplement is effective in reducing the symptoms of tinnitus and headache in patients suffering from both conditions. The significant improvements in THI, HIT-6, and VAS scores indicate a positive impact on patient quality of life. Further research with larger sample sizes and more detailed subgroup analyses is recommended to fully understand the differential impacts of treatment across various demographics.

The Role of Psychological Factors in Noncardiac Chest Pain of Esophageal Origin

Background/Aims

Noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) of esophageal origin is a challenging clinical problem of diverse etiology that affects more than 80 million Americans yearly. We assess the prevalence and impact of psychological disorders on NCCP of esophageal origin, describe possible mechanisms associated with this condition, and review psychological therapy options.

Methods

Online search using PubMed and Medline from January 1, 1966, to April 30, 2023.

Results

Psychological disorders have been reported in up to 79% of patients with NCCP of esophageal origin. Several psychological disturbances have been identified with this condition, including depression, anxiety, panic disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive and somatoform disorders. It is unclear whether the psychological disorders trigger the chest pain or vice versa. Multiple psychological mechanisms have been linked to chest pain and may contribute to its pathogenesis and severity. These mechanisms include cardiophobia, poor coping strategies, negative social problem solving, stress and perceived control, hypervigilance to cardiopulmonary sensations, altered pain perception, and alexithymia. Psychological therapies for NCCP of esophageal origin include cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, physical and relaxation training, breathing retraining, and alternative medicine. Among the therapeutic options, cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for NCCP of esophageal origin.

Conclusion

This review raises awareness about the high prevalence of psychological disorders in NCCP of esophageal origin and highlights the need for clinical trials and trained therapists to address the management of this taxing clinical problem.

Risk perception and mental health among college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: A moderated mediation model

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, it has spread on a large scale around the world, seriously affecting people's physical and mental health. In China, almost all schools have postponed semesters, suspended offline classes, and implemented closed-off management, which has brought significant challenges to the study and life of college students. The study aimed to explore the relationship between risk perception, perceived stress, perceived control, and mental health among Chinese college students. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,856 college students. The results showed that risk perception was positively correlated with mental health. After adding the mediating variable of perceived stress, risk perception still significantly predicted mental health. In addition, the interaction term of perceived stress and perceived control significantly negatively predicted mental health. Specifically, perceived stress significantly affected mental health in the low-perceived control group. In contrast, in the high-perceived control group, the predictive effect of perceived stress on mental health disappeared. The present study showed that perceived stress partially mediated the relationship between risk perception and mental health; perceived control moderated the relationship between perceived stress and mental health, and high perceived control could buffer the effect of perceived stress on mental health.

Relative deprivation and social anxiety among Chinese migrant children: Testing a moderated mediation model of perceived control and belief in a just world

To examine the relationship between relative deprivation and social anxiety, which affects mental health, and investigate the mediating role of perceived control and the moderating role of belief in a just world (BJW) in an understudied population in Asia, we surveyed 1573 rural-to-urban migrant children (48% female; M_age = 12.3, SD = 1.7) in southeast China. Relative deprivation was positively correlated with social anxiety; perceived control partially mediated this connection. Moreover, BJW moderated the indirect effect, which was stronger for male migrant children with lower levels of BJW. The limitations and practical implications of this study are discussed.

The Fear of COVID-19 and Flourishing: Assessing the Mediating Role of Sense of Control in International Students

The present study investigates the mediating role of sense of control in the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. A cross-sectional study design was employed and a total of 368 international students studying in Turkey consented to voluntarily take part in the study. The participants who were identified using convenience sampling completed the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Flourishing Scale, and Sense of Control Scale after providing written informed consent. Results indicated that sense of control was positively correlated with fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. It was also observed that a negative correlation was found between the fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. Mediation analysis revealed that sense of control partially mediates the association between fear of COVID-19 and flourishing. The study encourages mental health professionals to consider the role of sense of control in their psychological interventions to reduce fear of COVID-19 and enhance flourishing among international students.

Two birds with one stone.-Addressing depressive symptoms, emotional tension and worry improves tinnitus-related distress and affective pain perceptions in patients with chronic tinnitus

BACKGROUND

Psychological factors link the co-occurrence of tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions in patients with chronic tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines, if treatment-related changes in these factors ameliorate both tinnitus-related distress and pain perceptions in a sample of patients with chronic tinnitus.

METHODS

N = 1238 patients with chronic tinnitus provided pre- and post-treatment ratings of tinnitus-related distress and affective or sensory pain perceptions alongside measures of depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Treatment comprised an intensive tinnitus-specific multimodal treatment program. Using serial indirect-effects analyses, we examined association patterns between baseline values and change rates of those variables that were found to respond to treatment.

RESULTS

Small effect sizes emerged for changes in tinnitus-related distress, affective (but not sensory) pain perceptions, depressive symptoms, emotional tension and worry. At pre- or post-treatment respectively, baseline values and change rates intercorrelated. Across timepoints, (1) baseline tinnitus-related distress and affective pain perceptions were positively associated with improvements in tinnitus-related distress, affective pain perceptions and depressive symptoms. (2) Baseline depressive symptoms or emotional tension mediated positive associations between baseline tinnitus-related distress and improvement in affective pain perceptions. (3) Change in depressive symptoms mediated the effect of baseline tinnitus-related distress on change in affective pain perceptions-partly through associated change in emotional tension or worry. Mood-independent aspects of emotional tension were negatively associated with improvement in affective pain perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms, emotional tension and worry emerge as key predictors of treatment response and transdiagnostic treatment targets for alleviating tinnitus-related distress and functionally associated affective pain perceptions.

Psychological distress as a crucial determinant for quality of life in patients with noncardiac chest pain in Central China: A cross-sectional study

Increased psychiatric comorbidity, predominantly anxiety and depressive symptoms, and lower quality of life (QoL) are associated with noncardiac chest pain (NCCP). We aimed to investigate the roles of anxiety and depression in the impaired QoL of NCCP patients in Central China.In this hospital-based cross-sectional study, 200 consecutive patients who complained of chest pain with normal coronary angiography were enrolled in the Department of Cardiology and Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Wuhan, China. Meanwhile, 100 healthy controls, with age and sex-matched, were recruited. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was undergone and a standardized symptom questionnaire was completed in NCCP patients. Levels of anxiety and depression and QoL were assessed using locally translated and validated versions of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), respectively.The NCCP patients had poorer physical and mental QoL compared with the controls, and nearly half of them had anxiety (49.7%) and depression (40.1%). Those with anxiety and/or depression had lower physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary score compared with those without anxiety and depression. Increased levels of anxiety and depression were associated with lower PCS (r = -0.469 and -0.523 respectively, P < 0.001) and MCS (r = -0.474 and -0.440, respectively, P < 0.001). The chest pain, heartburn, and anxiety were independent factors influence on both PCS and MCS. Moreover, psychological distress, besides directly acting on the QoL, may also mediate indirectly effects of physical symptoms on both the physical and mental QoL.We demonstrated that anxiety and depression are important determinants for the QoL of NCCP patients. Therefore, interventions should emphasize on identifying and treating the psychological impact in NCCP.

Associations between emotional instability, coping, and health outcomes among patients with non-cardiac chest pain

The main aim of this study was to examine the relationship of emotional instability with illness worry and perceived limitations due to chest pain, and investigate to what degree any associations are mediated by the following chest pain–related coping styles: acceptance, seeking emotional support, seeking instrumental support, and avoidance. Self-reported measures from 94 participants with non-cardiac chest pain were collected. The results showed a relationship between emotional instability, illness worry, and perceived limitations due to chest pain. Moreover, this relationship was mediated by the coping styles avoidance and acceptance.

Anxiety symptomatology and perceived health in African American adults: moderating role of emotion regulation

Although emotional health has been theoretically and empirically linked to physical health, the anxiety-physical health association in particular is not well understood for African American adults. This study examined anxiety as a specific correlate of perceived health in addition to testing the potential moderating role of emotion regulation, an index of how and when individuals modulate emotions, in the association for anxiety to perceived health. Study participants were 151 community-based African American adults who completed measures of anxiety symptomatology and emotion regulation in addition to responding to a self-report question of perceived health. Results showed that higher levels of anxiety symptomatology were associated with poorer health ratings for those who reported more limited access to emotion regulation strategies but not those who reported having more emotion regulation strategies. The findings suggest that anxiety-related distress and health problems may be interrelated when emotion regulation strategies are limited. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Online cognitive-based intervention for depression: exploring possible circularity in mechanisms of change

BACKGROUND

This study investigates possible circularity in mechanisms of change in participants of Master Your Mood (MYM), a cognitive-based, online intervention for young adults with depressive symptoms. A previous study showed that MYM effectively reduced depression and anxiety and strengthened mastery.

METHOD

We randomized 244 participants with depressive symptoms into MYM or a wait-list control condition. We explored the circularity hypothesis by several analyses. Correlations were computed to determine the association between (change in) depression and anxiety. Path analysis mediation models were used to explore whether change in anxiety and mastery mediated the intervention effect on depression, whether depression and mastery mediated the effect on anxiety and whether depression and anxiety mediated the effect on mastery. We used linear regression to explore whether early changes in anxiety predicted later changes in depression, and whether early changes in depression predicted later changes in anxiety.

RESULTS

Co-morbidity between depression and anxiety was high (69.2%) and the association between depression and anxiety change was strong (r = 0.677, p < 0.01). Changes in anxiety and mastery mediated change in depression (mediation proportion 44%); changes in depression mediated change in anxiety (79%) and mastery (75%). We did not find an early change in anxiety predictive for a late change in depression, and vice versa.

CONCLUSIONS

This study appears to confirm the hypothesized circularity in the recovery process. We found high co-morbidity and strong correlation between depression and anxiety levels and bi-directional relationships between potential mediators and outcomes. Early anxiety change scores were not predictive of late depression change scores, and vice versa.

Utilizing correspondence analysis to characterize the mental health of cardiac patients with diabetes

The aim of this study was to examine the mental health of cardiac patients with diabetes and whether symptoms varied by gender and/or age. Screening for depression and posttraumatic stress symptoms was conducted on 1003 patients with cardiovascular disease. Correspondence analysis was utilized to identify clinical core profiles. Results suggested that cardiovascular disease patients with diabetes, particularly males, experience high rates of depression, suicide ideation, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Clinical implications of these findings include targeted mental health screening options as well as offering a closer look at the specific concerns of cardiovascular disease patients with diabetes.

Do depressive symptoms predict the incidence of myocardial infarction independent of hopelessness?

Depression and hopelessness predict myocardial infarction, but it is unclear whether depression and hopelessness are independent predictors of myocardial infarction incidents. Hopelessness, depression, and myocardial infarction incidence rate 18 years later were measured in 2005 men. Cox regressions were conducted with hopelessness and depression serving as individual predictors of myocardial infarction. Another Cox model examined whether the two predictors predict myocardial infarction when adjusting for each other. Depression and hopelessness predicted myocardial infarction in independent regressions, but when adjusting for each other, hopelessness, but not depression, predicted myocardial infarction incidents. Thus, these results suggest that depression and hopelessness are not independent predictors of myocardial infarction.