Evaluation of Anxiety and Depressive Levels in Tinnitus Patients

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to evaluate the relationship between tinnitus and the level of anxiety and depression experienced by subjective tinnitus patients, and to determine the effect of the level of anxiety and depression to the results of tinnitus treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 104 patients were included in this study. All the patients conducted Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State Trait Anxiety Inventory 1, 2 (STAI 1, 2) to evaluate their psychometric properties. The subjective patterns of tinnitus before and after treatment were assessed through questionnaires. RESULTS: Significant correlation between THI scores and BDI, STAI 1, 2 scores were observed in the moderate and severe tinnitus group. The patients were classified into two groups depending on their THI scores, and also classified into two groups according to BDI, STAI 1, 2 results. Analysis of differences after treatment indicated significantly improved VAS scores after treatment in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: The subjective level of tinnitus is significantly related with depression and anxiety symptoms when inconvenience caused by tinnitus was moderate or over. Assessments on tinnitus after treatment appeared to have improved significantly regardless of the severity of tinnitus, level of depression or anxiety disorder.

A Case of Bilateral Bell's Palsy with Uncontrolled Diabetes Mellitus / 대한이비인후과학회지

Bilateral facial palsy is uncommon and it accounts for 0.3-2.0% of the facial palsy cases. In contrast to unilateral facial palsy, bilateral facial palsy may occur in association with a variety of neurological, infectious, neoplastic, traumatic, metabolic or degenerative disorders. Diabetes has been associated with bilateral facial palsy. Diabetes is more common among patients with bilateral facial palsy. But the correlation between diabetics and bilateral facial palsy is unclear. Herein, we report a case of a 66 year-old woman with bilateral Bell's palsy associated with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus.

A Case of Endoscopic Repair of Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea Associated with Primary Empty Sella Syndrome / 대한이비인후과학회지

The empty sella syndrome is defined as the herniation of a subarachnoid space within the sella, with a flat-pressed pituitary gland accompanying hormonal problems or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. CSF rhinorrhea is rare in the primary empty sella syndrome. We report a case of primary empty sella syndrome with CSF rhinorrhea in a 57 year-old woman. The CSF rhinorrhea was treated successfully by endoscopic transnasal transsphenoidal approach.