Abstract
Objective
This study was performed to evaluate the prevalence and clinical importance
of elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure among patients with
pulse-synchronous tinnitus.
Methods
Nineteen patients underwent height and weight measurements, routine otologic
examinations, ear computed tomography, brain magnetic resonance imaging,
fundus examination, and tinnitus score assessment. We analyzed the data with
Fisher’s exact test, the t-test, and Pearson’s correlation.
Results
The mean age of the 19 patients was 39.2 ± 8.1 years (range, 27–54 years),
and the mean body mass index was 22.2 ± 1.6 kg/m2 (range,
19.9–24.6 kg/m2). The proportion of patients with elevated
CSF pressure was 68%. No significant correlation between the severity of
tinnitus and CSF pressure was found. Lumbar puncture and oral administration
of diuretics resulted in significant improvement in tinnitus.
Conclusions
If detailed physical and imaging examinations fail to detect the definite
cause of pulse-synchronous tinnitus, a routine lumbar puncture should be
performed to measure the CSF pressure. Elevated CSF pressure should be
suspected in patients with pulse-synchronous tinnitus.
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