Long-term clinical trial of tinnitus retraining therapy.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the efficacy of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) for tinnitus relief compared to a waiting list group and a partially treated group (patients that refused prosthesis adaptation). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective non-randomised clinical assay (n = 158). Visual analogue scale (VAS) for intensity and the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) were evaluated at 12-month period. RESULTS: Eighty two percent of the patients that followed TRT improved their tinnitus according to their self-evaluation. THI score was reduced from 48% to 32% and VAS decreased from 6.6 to 5.3 after one year (p < 0.05). TRT patients showed a higher improvement on their tinnitus, THI and VAS scores when compared with the waiting list patients and with patients that refused prosthesis adaptation when recommended (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TRT improved tinnitus in 82% of the subjects and statistically reduced THI and VAS scores after 12 months. TRT has shown to be more effective than a waiting list group and partially treated patients. EBM RATING B-2.