Pre-market version of a commercially available hearing instrument with a tinnitus sound generator: feasibility of evaluation in a clinical trial.

Pre-market version of a commercially available hearing instrument with a tinnitus sound generator: feasibility of evaluation in a clinical trial.

Int J Audiol. 2016 Nov 25;:1-9

Authors: Sereda M, Davies J, Hall DA

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This report considers feasibility of conducting a UK trial of combination devices for tinnitus, using data from the study which evaluated different listener programmes available within the pre-market version of Oticon Alta with Tinnitus Sound Generator.
DESIGN: Open and closed questions addressed the following feasibility issues: (1) Participant recruitment; (2) Device acceptability; (3) Programme preferences in different self-nominated listening situations; (4) Usability; (5) Compliance; (6) Adverse events.
STUDY SAMPLE: Eight current combination hearing aid users (all males) aged between 62-72 years (mean age 67.25 years, SD = 3.8).
RESULTS: All eight participants reported the physical aspects and noise options on the experimental device to be acceptable. Programmes with amplification and masking features were equally preferred over the basic amplification-only programme. Individual preferences for the different programme options varied widely, both across participants and across listening situations.
CONCLUSIONS: A set of recommendations for future trials were formulated which calls for more "real world" trial design rather than tightly controlling the fitting procedure.

PMID: 27885869 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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