Telephone Tinnitus Education for Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Tinnitus Clinical Trial

Official title:

Telehealth Tinnitus Intervention for Patients With TBI

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01129141
• Other study ID #: C7452-I
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: May 20, 2010
• Last updated: December 21, 2015
• Start date: January 2011
• Est. completion date: September 2015

Study information

• Verified date: December 2015
• Source: VA Office of Research and Development
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study will continue the investigators' efforts to develop tinnitus management protocols for Veterans. More specifically, this study will develop and evaluate an adaptation of Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM) for use as a telephone-based program for Veterans and military personnel who have experienced TBI. Adaptation of PTM as a telephone-based program has the potential of providing needed tinnitus services to Veterans with and without TBI for a relatively small cost and with minimal impact on individual VA hospitals.

Description:

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is strongly associated with tinnitus. Tinnitus management for Veterans and military members with TBI has become a critical concern. The investigators' research has focused on developing effective, evidence-based methods of tinnitus management for Veterans. These efforts led to the development of Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM). The investigators are completing a pilot study to adapt PTM to meet the unique tinnitus management needs of Veterans and military members with TBI using a novel home-based telehealth program called Telephone Tinnitus Education (TTE). Preliminary data analyses indicate that TTE is effective. The present study will modify the TTE program in accordance with pilot study findings and evaluate the modified TTE using a randomized clinical trial design.

The 4-year study will be based at the VA National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR). TTE will be implemented and evaluated in a randomized clinical trial. Qualified candidates will be randomized to receive either immediate-TTE or Wait-List Control (WLC). All subjects will complete questionnaires at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-baseline. The WLC group will receive TTE after completing the 6-month questionnaires. The primary outcome measure will be the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI).

TTE intervention involves a series of seven telephone appointments, conducted at approximately 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks, and 3 and 6 months after enrollment is finalized. Telephone education is provided by the Study Psychologist at weeks 1, 3, and 5, and by the Study Audiologist at weeks 2 and 4, and months 3 and 6.

TTE has the potential of providing needed tinnitus services to Veterans and active military personnel across the country for a relatively small cost and with minimal impact on individual VA hospitals.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 205
• Est. completion date: September 2015
• Est. primary completion date: September 2015
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Inclusion criteria include:

• "clinically significant" tinnitus according to the initial score on the Tinnitus and Hearing Survey (THS) (minimum total score of 4 on section A; if score is 4-6, one item must be at least 3);

• demonstrates understanding of the requirements of the study (based on adequate responses to the questions by the RC that assess capacity-to-consent);

• has had a hearing test within the past 2 years (and was fitted with hearing aids if appropriate); and

• motivated and capable of participating (including ability to communicate over the telephone in English).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Callers who do not meet all of these criteria will be excluded from study participation.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Tinnitus

Intervention

Procedure:
• Telephone Tinnitus Education
Telephone Tinnitus Education (TTE) is a novel home-based telehealth program. TTI intervention involves a series of seven telephone appointments, conducted at approximately 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks, and 3 and 6 months after enrollment is finalized. Telephone education is provided by the Study Psychologist at weeks 1, 3, and 5, and by the Study Audiologist at weeks 2 and 4, and months 3 and 6.
• Wait List Control
Wait List Control subjects will receive TTE after completing the 6-month questionnaires. Participants assigned to Wait List Control will be instructed that they are allowed to receive any services for their tinnitus that are available to them, and that they will receive TTE following completion of the 3- and 6-month questionnaires.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR	Portland	Oregon

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
VA Office of Research and Development

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

References & Publications (1)

Henry JA, Griest S, Thielman E, McMillan G, Kaelin C, Carlson KF. Tinnitus Functional Index: Development, validation, outcomes research, and clinical application. Hear Res. 2015 Jun 12. pii: S0378-5955(15)00121-5. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.06.004. [Epub — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Tinnitus Handicap Inventory		Baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months	No