Systems Medicine Approach for Tinnitus with Comorbid Disorders

TY - JOUR

T1 - Systems Medicine Approach for Tinnitus with Comorbid Disorders

AU - Mazurek, Birgit

AU - Rose, Matthias

AU - Schulze, Holger

AU - Dobel, Christian

PY - 2022/10/15

Y1 - 2022/10/15

N2 - Despite the fact that chronic diseases usually occur together with a spectrum of possible comorbidities that may differ strongly between patients, they are classically still viewed as distinct disease entities and, consequently, are often treated with uniform therapies. Unfortunately, such an approach does not take into account that different combinations of symptoms and comorbidities may result from different pathological (e.g., environmental, genetic, dietary, etc.) factors, which require specific and individualised therapeutic strategies. In this opinion paper, we aim to put forward a more differentiated, systems medicine approach to disease and patient treatment. To elaborate on this concept, we focus on the interplay of tinnitus, depression, and chronic pain. In our view, these conditions can be characterised by a variety of phenotypes composed of variable sets of symptoms and biomarkers, rather than distinct disease entities. The knowledge of the interplay of such symptoms and biomarkers will provide the key to a deeper, mechanistic understanding of disease pathologies. This paves the way for prediction and prevention of disease pathways, including more personalised and effective treatment strategies.

AB - Despite the fact that chronic diseases usually occur together with a spectrum of possible comorbidities that may differ strongly between patients, they are classically still viewed as distinct disease entities and, consequently, are often treated with uniform therapies. Unfortunately, such an approach does not take into account that different combinations of symptoms and comorbidities may result from different pathological (e.g., environmental, genetic, dietary, etc.) factors, which require specific and individualised therapeutic strategies. In this opinion paper, we aim to put forward a more differentiated, systems medicine approach to disease and patient treatment. To elaborate on this concept, we focus on the interplay of tinnitus, depression, and chronic pain. In our view, these conditions can be characterised by a variety of phenotypes composed of variable sets of symptoms and biomarkers, rather than distinct disease entities. The knowledge of the interplay of such symptoms and biomarkers will provide the key to a deeper, mechanistic understanding of disease pathologies. This paves the way for prediction and prevention of disease pathways, including more personalised and effective treatment strategies.

KW - Humans

KW - Tinnitus/epidemiology

KW - Comorbidity

KW - Chronic Disease

KW - Biomarkers

KW - Systems Analysis

U2 - 10.3390/nu14204320

DO - 10.3390/nu14204320

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 36297004

VL - 14

JO - NUTRIENTS

JF - NUTRIENTS

SN - 2072-6643

IS - 20

M1 - 4320

ER -