Hearing aid effectiveness on patients with chronic tinnitus and associated hearing loss

Simonetti, Patricia; Vasconcelos, Laura Garcia; Gândara, Mara Rocha; Lezirovitz, Karina; Medeiros, Ítalo Roberto Torres de; Oiticica, Jeanne

doi:10.1016/j.bjorl.2022.03.002

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Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology

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Sumário

Original article • Braz. j. otorhinolaryngol. 88 (Suppl 3) • Nov-Dec 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjorl.2022.03.002 copy

Hearing aid effectiveness on patients with chronic tinnitus and associated hearing loss^☆ ☆ Study conducted at the Research Supporting Foundation of São Paulo (FAPESP).

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Highlights

Amplification restores auditory input and reduce tinnitus annoyance.

THI reduction has been considered to be clinically and statistically significant after 6-months of hearing aid usage.

A significant reduction in THI and VAS indicates a significant improvement in tinnitus severity.

Minimal masking levels showed statistically significant reduction after 6-months use of HA, and inverse correlation with duration of tinnitus.

THI, HHIA, VAS for tinnitus annoyance and MMLs are interrelated parameters on tinnitus amelioration.

Abstract

Objective:

Our study aimed to measure the effectiveness of using HA in reducing the disturbance caused by tinnitus.

Methods:

Study was designed as a within-subjects clinical trial. Nineteen patients with chronic tinnitus and untreated sensorineural hearing loss were under counseling, HA fitting and 6 months follow-up. Tinnitus assessment was performed with Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), pitch and loudness matching, and Minimum Masking Level measurements (MML).

Results:

following 6 months of HA use, a reduction in reported tinnitus and hearing handicap scales scores was observed both statistically and clinically. The pitch and loudness matching, as well as MML at the baseline and final evaluation were compared. MML’s thresholds reduced significantly after 6 months of HA use.

Conclusion:

Our study has provided evidence that HA fitting is a valuable treatment strategy for chronic tinnitus relief and associated hearing loss subtype of patient.

Level of evidence: 3.

Keywords
Hearing loss; Tinnitus; Hearing aids; Auditory rehabilitation

Variable	Mean	SD	Median	p25; p75
Tinnitus pitch (Hz)	6692	± 3584.6	6000	(4000; 8000)
Tinnitus loudness (dBSL)	6.1	± 4.5	5	(3; 8)
MML (dBSL)	6.4	± 3.2	6	(3; 9)

	Baseline	1st m	3rd m	6th m	p
VAS					<0.001
mean±SD	8.4± 1.2	6.2 ±2.3	5.3 ±2.1	4.5 ±2.4
median (p25; p75)	8 (8; 10)	7 (5; 8)	5 (4; 7)	4 (2; 7)
THI					<0.001
mean±SD	56.9± 15.5	37.6± 14.7	33.7± 16.3	30.5 ±20.8
median (p25; p75)	50 (44; 66)	38 (28; 50)	34 (20; 44)	32 (14; 40)
THI Functional					<0.001
mean±SD	26.7±7.4	16.7±7.0	15.2 ±7.5	13.4 ± 9.2
median (p25; p75)	24 (22; 32)	16 (12; 24)	14 (10; 20)	12 (4; 22)
THI Emotional					0.001
mean±SD	20.8 ±7.1	13.7 ± 6.8	11.5 ±8.0	11.0±8.0
median (p25; p75)	18 (16; 26)	14 (8; 16)	10 (6; 18)	12 (6; 16)
THI Catastrophic					0.006
mean±SD	10.2 ±4.9	7.1 ±4.3	7.4±3.8	5.7±5.8
median (p25; p75)	10 (6; 14)	8 (4; 10)	8 (4; 10)	2 (0; 10)
HHIA					0.005
mean±SD	54.9±27.0	33.4±20.7	28.7±22.3	26.7±23.4
median (p25; p75)	52 (36; 72)	36 (16; 46)	18 (16; 38)	20 (8; 34)
HHIA Social					0.004
mean±SD	26.8± 13.1	17.5 ± 11.8	14.6± 12.2	12.9 ± 10.7
median (p25; p75)	24 (18; 36)	18 (4; 24)	10 (6; 24)	10 (6; 16)
HHIA Emotional					0.001
mean±SD	28.1 ± 14.6	15.8± 10.4	14.1 ±11.5	13.2 ± 12.3
median (p25; p75)	26 (16; 40)	16 (8; 22)	10 (8; 18)	10 (4; 16)

	Baseline	Final	p
Pitch (Hz)			0.507^a a Wilcoxon paired test.
mean ±SD	6692 ±3584	6157 ± 3197
median (p25; p75)	6000 (4000; 8000)	6000 (4000; 8000)
Loudness (dBSL)			0.297^a a Wilcoxon paired test.
mean ±SD	6.1 ±4.5	5.0±2.2
median (p25; p75)	5 (3; 8)	4 (3; 7)
MML (dBSL)			0.047 ^a a Wilcoxon paired test.
mean ±DP	6.4±3.2	5.2 ±2.7
median (p25; p75)	6 (3; 9)	5 (3; 7)

		THI reduction	THI Functional reduction	THI Emotional reduction	THI Catastrophic reduction
VAS reduction	r	0.350	0.284	0.262	0.411
	p	0.142	0.239	0.279	0.080
LOUDNESS reduction	r	0.092	–0.004	0.237	0.005
	p	0.707	0.987	0.328	0.985
MML reduction	r	0.488	0.390	0.528	0.312
	p	0.034	0.099	0.020	0.194
HHIA reduction	r	0.457	0.485	0.504	0.034
	p	0.049	0.035	0.028	0.889
HHIA Social reduction	r	0.398	0.443	0.445	–0.068
	p	0.092	0.058	0.056	0.783
HHIA Emotional reduction	r	0.481	0.501	0.491	0.153
	p	0.037	0.029	0.033	0.533

Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Sede da Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico Facial, Av. Indianópolia, 1287, 04063-002 São Paulo/SP Brasil, Tel.: (0xx11) 5053-7500, Fax: (0xx11) 5053-7512 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: revista@aborlccf.org.br

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[1] * Corresponding author. E-mail: patriciasimonetti3@gmail.com (P. Simonetti).

Brasil

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Hearing aid effectiveness on patients with chronic tinnitus and associated hearing loss☆ ☆ Study conducted at the Research Supporting Foundation of São Paulo (FAPESP).

Highlights

Abstract

Objective:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusion:

Hearing aid effectiveness on patients with chronic tinnitus and associated hearing loss^☆ ☆ Study conducted at the Research Supporting Foundation of São Paulo (FAPESP).