Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 Poorly Predicts Eustachian Tube Dysfunction in Patients With Tinnitus.

Objective: Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is a common condition associated with otologic and rhinologic symptoms. The Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (ETDQ7) is validated for assessing ETD, but it queries symptoms present in many inner ear pathologies. This study aimed to determine the correlation between tinnitus scores and total ETDQ7 scores.

Study design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: A single tertiary care medical center between July 2023 and February 2024.

Patients: Patients 18 years and above presenting with hearing loss or tinnitus.

Interventions: ETDQ-7 and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaires.

Main outcome measures: Median scores and correlation between ETDQ-7 and THI.

Results: A total of 65 patients presenting with a primary complaint of tinnitus or hearing loss were included. Median age was 61, 9% had abnormal tympanograms, and 74% had hearing loss on audiogram. The overall median ETDQ-7 score was 20 (IQR: 16.0, 28.0). ETDQ-7 was ≥14.5 in 83% of patients. Patients with ETDQ-7 scores ≥14.5 had scored higher on both the THI and the tinnitus item of the ETDQ-7 (ETDQ7-t) (P<0.001). A positive correlation was observed between THI and both total ETDQ-7 (rs=0.50, P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.28-0.67) and ETDQ7-t scores (rs=0.64, P<0.001, 95% CI: 0.47-0.77).

Conclusion: Patients presenting with tinnitus and hearing loss can have an elevated ETDQ7 score, which incorrectly suggests a suspicion of ETD. Physicians utilizing this questionnaire to identify or quantify ETD severity should cautiously interpret results in patients presenting with any complaints of tinnitus.