ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and tinnitus.MethodsA total of 71 patients with OSAHS diagnosed by polysomnography were selected. They were divided into groups according to sleep apnea hypopnea index (AHI). The incidence of tinnitus, age and body mass index (BMI), blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, and pure tone threshold (PTA) were compared between each group.ResultsAmong all the 71 patients, 14 were mild, 16 moderate and 41 severe based on AHI, and 31 were mild, 18 moderate and 12 severe according to the degree of hypoxemia. Of them, 29 had tinnitus with mild hearing loss in 9 cases, moderate in 3 and severe in 17, and mainly in the frequency of 4 to 8 kHz. The incidences of tinnitus in mild, moderate and severe OSAHS groups were 44.4% (6/14), 58.3% (9/16) and 34.1% (14/41), respectively.ConclusionsPatients with OSAHS may be more likely to have high-frequency hearing impairment. And there is no significant correlation between the incidence of tinnitus and the severity of OSAHS, which indicates that the occurrence of tinnitus in OSAHS patients may be a result of the concerted action of multiple factors.