COVID-Related Tinnitus Timeline

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, for which the first cases were reported in China, by December 2019. Previous studies reported cases of tinnitus following COVID infection, most of them mild and with similar characteristics to other forms of tinnitus. Our aim is to further explore the relationship between COVID-19 and tinnitus. For this purpose we analyzed people in the city of Volta Redonda, Brazil after a COVID-19 infection. In detail we compared those with new onset tinnitus during or after COVID-19 with those without tinnitus and those with tinnitus onset before the COVID-19 infection. Moreover we analyzed the prevalence of post-COVID tinnitus along the pandemic timeline, from 2020 to 2024.

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Key information

Conditions

Hearing Disorders COVID-19 COVID-19 Pandemic Coronaviridae Infections Coronavirus Infections Ear Diseases Infections Lung Diseases Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Nidovirales Infections Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pneumonia Pneumonia, Viral RNA Virus Infections Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Infections Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Tinnitus Virus Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

OTOSUL, Otorrinolaringologia Sul-Fluminense

Volta Redonda, Rio de Janeiro, 27260-200, Brazil

About this study

Two-hundred and thirty three patients over 18 years old and previously diagnosed with COVID-19 confirmed by either a RT-PCR, antibodies or antigens test were included. Patients were subdivided in three groups: no tinnitus (NT), tinnitus that already existed before COVID-19 (chronic tinnitus, CT) and tinnitus that arose during or after COVID-19 (post-COVID-19 tinnitus, PCT). Data concerning COVID-19 symptoms, drugs prescribed for COVID-19, tinnitus characteristics, comorbidities and other otological symptoms were collected. Tinnitus assessment included pure tone audiograms, the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), visual-analog scales (VAS) for loudness and distress as well as the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Patients with CT were additionally asked whether their tinnitus worsened after their COVID-19 infection.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

previous COVID-19 infection

Exclusion criteria

< 18 yo
not willing to give informed consent

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

Trajectory of COVID-Related Tinnitus Over the Pandemic Timeline

Time frame: February 2023 - November 2024

Post-COVID tinnitus x No tinnitus x chronic tinnitus

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Faculdade de Medicina de Valenca

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Trajectory of COVID-Related Tinnitus Over the Pandemic Timeline

Acronym: TinCovTime

Important dates

Study start: 2023
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2025
First posted: Sep 30, 2025
Registry last updated: Sep 30, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed