J Korean Med Sci.  2025 May;40(18):e75. 10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e75.

Consensus Statements on Tinnitus Treatment: A Delphi Study by the Korean Tinnitus Study Group

• Jeong J
• Lee HY
• Choo OS
• Kim H
• Lee KY
• Song JJ
• Seo JH
• Rah YC
• Song JJ
• Nam EC
• Park SN
• Moon IS
• Shim HJ

• KMID: 2568100
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e75

Abstract

Background
Tinnitus is a bothersome condition associated with various mechanisms of action. Although treatment methods vary according to these mechanisms, standardized guidelines would benefit both patients and clinicians. We conducted a Delphi study, a method that collects expert opinions through multiple rounds of questionnaires, to reach a consensus on tinnitus treatment with professional experts.
Methods
A two-round modified Delphi survey was conducted to develop a clinical consensus on tinnitus treatment. The experts scored each statement on a scale of 1 (highest disagreement) to 9 (highest agreement) for their level of agreement on tinnitus treatment. Consensus was defined when 75% or more of the participants scored 7–9, and 15% or less scored 1–3. To ensure reliability of the responses, the content validity ratio and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance were evaluated.
Results
Approximately 19 of 31 statements reached a consensus. All 3 statements reached a consensus regarding the candidates for treatment. Regarding treatment, 3 of 8 statements on medication, 2 of 2 statements on tinnitus retraining therapy/cognitive behavioral therapy, and 5 of 7 statements on auditory rehabilitation reached a positive consensus. Although all 6 statements regarding miscellaneous treatment reached a consensus, most were negatively agreed. For treatment with neuromodulation, none of the 5 statements reached a consensus.
Conclusion
The experts reached a high level of consensus on treatment candidates, tinnitus retraining therapy/cognitive behavioral therapy, and auditory rehabilitation in this modified Delphi study. The results of this study can provide beneficial and practical information for clinicians regarding the treatment of tinnitus.

Keyword

Tinnitus; Treatment; Delphi Study

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Process of the Delphi study regarding tinnitus treatment with the number of experts at each stage.

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