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

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 DSL-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 (t; without HAs), HA- fitting (t), additional auditory training (t), and at 70-day follow-up (t). Repeated-measure analyses of covariance investigated the effects of HAs (t-t), auditory training (t-t), and the stability of the combined effect (t-t) 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.