DSLchild-Algorithm-Based Hearing Aid Fitting Can Improve Speech Comprehension in Mildly Distressed Patients with Chronic Tinnitus and Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss

TY - JOUR

T1 - DSLchild-Algorithm-Based Hearing Aid Fitting Can Improve Speech Comprehension in Mildly Distressed Patients with Chronic Tinnitus and Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss

AU - Boecking, Benjamin

AU - Rausch, Leonie

AU - Psatha, Stamatina

AU - Nyamaa, Amarjargal

AU - Dettling-Papargyris, Juliane

AU - Funk, Christine

AU - Oppel, Kevin

AU - Brueggemann, Petra

AU - Rose, Matthias

AU - Mazurek, Birgit

PY - 2022/9/5

Y1 - 2022/9/5

N2 - BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic tinnitus and mild-to-moderate hearing loss (HL) can experience difficulties with speech comprehension (SC). The present study investigated SC benefits of a two-component hearing therapy.METHODS: One-hundred-seventy-seven gender-stratified patients underwent binaural DSLchild-algorithm-based hearing aid (HA) fitting and conducted auditory training exercises. SC was measured at four timepoints under three noise interference conditions each (0, 55, and 65 dB): after screening (t0; without HAs), HA- fitting (t1), additional auditory training (t2), and at 70-day follow-up (t3). Repeated-measure analyses of covariance investigated the effects of HAs (t0-t1), auditory training (t1-t2), and the stability of the combined effect (t2-t3) on SC per noise interference level and HL subgroup. Correlational analyses examined associations between SC, age, and psychological indices.RESULTS: Patients showed mildly elevated tinnitus-related distress, which was negatively associated with SC in patients with mild but not moderate HL. At 0 dB, the intervention lastingly improved SC for patients with mild and moderate HL; at 55 dB, for patients with mild HL only. These effects were mainly driven by HAs.CONCLUSIONS: The here-investigated treatment demonstrates some SC-benefit under conditions of no or little noise interference. The auditory training component warrants further investigation regarding non-audiological treatment outcomes.

AB - BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic tinnitus and mild-to-moderate hearing loss (HL) can experience difficulties with speech comprehension (SC). The present study investigated SC benefits of a two-component hearing therapy.METHODS: One-hundred-seventy-seven gender-stratified patients underwent binaural DSLchild-algorithm-based hearing aid (HA) fitting and conducted auditory training exercises. SC was measured at four timepoints under three noise interference conditions each (0, 55, and 65 dB): after screening (t0; without HAs), HA- fitting (t1), additional auditory training (t2), and at 70-day follow-up (t3). Repeated-measure analyses of covariance investigated the effects of HAs (t0-t1), auditory training (t1-t2), and the stability of the combined effect (t2-t3) on SC per noise interference level and HL subgroup. Correlational analyses examined associations between SC, age, and psychological indices.RESULTS: Patients showed mildly elevated tinnitus-related distress, which was negatively associated with SC in patients with mild but not moderate HL. At 0 dB, the intervention lastingly improved SC for patients with mild and moderate HL; at 55 dB, for patients with mild HL only. These effects were mainly driven by HAs.CONCLUSIONS: The here-investigated treatment demonstrates some SC-benefit under conditions of no or little noise interference. The auditory training component warrants further investigation regarding non-audiological treatment outcomes.

U2 - 10.3390/jcm11175244

DO - 10.3390/jcm11175244

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 36079176

VL - 11

JO - J CLIN MED

JF - J CLIN MED

SN - 2077-0383

IS - 17

M1 - 5244

ER -