The heterogeneity of tinnitus is substantial. Its numerous pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical manifestations have hampered fundamental and treatment research significantly. A decade ago, the Tinnitus Research Initiative introduced the Tinnitus Sample Case History Questionnaire, a case history instrument for standardised collection of information about the characteristics of the tinnitus patient. Since then, a number of studies have been published which characterise individuals and groups using data collected with this questionnaire. However, its use has been restricted to a clinical setting and to the evaluation of people with tinnitus only. In addition, it is limited in the ability to capture relevant comorbidities and evaluate their temporal relationship with tinnitus. Here we present a new case history instrument which is comprehensive in scope and can be answered by people with and without tinnitus alike. This 'European School for Interdisciplinary Tinnitus Research Screening Questionnaire' (ESIT-SQ) was developed with specific attention to questions about potential risk factors for tinnitus (including demographics, lifestyle, general medical and otological histories), and tinnitus characteristics (including perceptual characteristics, modulating factors, and associations with co-existing conditions). It was first developed in English, then translated into Dutch, German, Italian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish, thus having broad applicability and supporting international collaboration. With respect to better understanding tinnitus profiles, we anticipate the ESIT-SQ to be a starting point for comprehensive multi-variate analyses of tinnitus. Data collected with the ESIT-SQ can allow establishment of patterns that distinguish tinnitus from non-tinnitus, and definition of common sets of tinnitus characteristics which might be indicated by the presence of otological or comorbid systemic diseases for which tinnitus is a known symptom.

Severe tinnitus has been shown to be strongly associated with depression and anxiety,¹ and the only established approach to treat tinnitus is cognitive behavioral therapy.² Our research group recently reported that the tinnitus-associated mental health burden is greater in women than in men, likely due to higher levels of anxiety and stress.³ Most of the evidence on the association of tinnitus with suicide came from case series studies, until a recent cross-sectional study reported that an increased risk of suicide attempts was associated with severe tinnitus.⁴ In the present study, we assessed whether this association would differ between men and women using data from a large population-based study, the Stockholm Public Health Cohort (SPHC).⁵

Tinnitus is one of the most prevalent and distressing symptoms associated with hearing loss. It is defined by the perception of sounds despite their physical absence (the phantom perception of sounds).¹ This auditory condition affects more than 15% of the population worldwide (an estimated 70 million people in Europe). In 1 to 2 of 10 people, tinnitus becomes a chronic bothersome and incapacitating symptom,^2,3 with highly unmet clinical needs.⁴ The psychological consequences of tinnitus affect the economy by influencing work and sleep and increasing the risk of sick leave and disability pension.⁵

Objectives: Research on the genetic basis of tinnitus is still in its first steps. A group of scientists dedicated to tinnitus genetics within European Tinnitus Network (TINNET) network recognize that further progress requires multicenter collaborative efforts for defining contributing genes. The purpose of the present work is to provide instructions regarding collection, processing, storage, and shipment of samples intended for genetic studies in auditory research.Design: One part of the recommendations has a general character; another part is of particular importance for auditory healthcare practitioners such as otolaryngology physicians, audiologists, and general practitioners.Results: We provide a set of instructions and various options for obtaining samples. We give advice regarding sample processing, storage, and shipment and define the minimal and essential clinical information that should accompany the samples collected for genetic processing.Conclusions: These recommendations offer a basis to standardize and optimize collaborations between geneticists and healthcare practitioners specialized in tinnitus and hearing disorders.

Twin and adoption studies point towards a genetic contribution to tinnitus; however, how the genetic risk applies to different forms of tinnitus is poorly understood. Here, we perform a familial aggregation study and determine the relative recurrence risk for tinnitus in siblings (λs). Four different Swedish studies (N = 186,598) were used to estimate the prevalence of self-reported bilateral, unilateral, constant, and severe tinnitus in the general population and we defined whether these 4 different forms of tinnitus segregate in families from the Swedish Tinnitus Outreach Project (STOP, N = 2305). We implemented a percentile bootstrap approach to provide accurate estimates and confidence intervals for λs. We reveal a significant λs for all types of tinnitus, the highest found being 7.27 (95% CI (5.56–9.07)) for severe tinnitus, with a higher susceptibility in women (10.25; 95% CI (7.14–13.61)) than in men (5.03; 95% CI (3.22–7.01)), suggesting that severity may be the most genetically influenced trait in tinnitus in a sex-dependent manner. Our findings strongly support the notion that genetic factors impact on the development of tinnitus, more so for severe tinnitus. These findings highlight the importance of considering tinnitus severity and sex in the design of large genetic studies to optimize diagnostic approaches and ultimately improve therapeutic interventions.