Clinical trial NCT01129141: Telephone Tinnitus Education for Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Official title: Telehealth Tinnitus Intervention for Patients With TBI
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Tinnitus
Keywords: Tinnitus
Traumatic Brain Injury Counseling
Counseling
Education
Evaluation studies
Quality of health care
Lead sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development
Sponsor class: FED
First posted: 2010-05-24
Enrollment: 205
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study continues the investigators' efforts to develop tinnitus management protocols for Veterans. More specifically, this study developed and evaluated an adaptation of Progressive Tinnitus Management (PTM) for use as a telephone-based program for Veterans and military personnel who have experienced TBI. This adaptation, called Tele-PTM, is a telephone-based program and 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.

Detailed 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 completed 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 Tele-PTM. Preliminary data analyses indicated that Tele-PTM is effective. The present study modified the PTM program in accordance with pilot study findings and evaluated Tele-PTM using a randomized clinical trial design.

The 4-year study was based at the VA National Center for Rehabilitative Auditory Research (NCRAR). Tele-PTM was implemented and evaluated in a randomized clinical trial. Qualified candidates were randomized to receive either Tele-PTM or Wait-List Control (WLC). All subjects completed questionnaires at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-baseline. The WLC group received Tele-PTM after completing the 6-month questionnaires. The primary outcome measure was the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI).

Tele-PTM 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 was provided by the Study Psychologist at weeks 1, 3, and 5, and month 6; and by the Study Audiologist at weeks 2 and 4, and month 3.

Tele-PTM 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.

Eligibility criteria: 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.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Tinnitus Functional Index
timeFrame: Baseline, 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Portland
country: United States
facility: VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR
state: Oregon
Study officials:
affiliation: VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR
name: James A. Henry, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Henry JA, Griest S, Thielman E, McMillan G, Kaelin C, Carlson KF. Tinnitus Functional Index: Development, validation, outcomes research, and clinical application. Hear Res. 2016 Apr;334:58-64. doi: 10.1016/j.heares.2015.06.004. Epub 2015 Jun 12.
citation: Henry JA, Thielman EJ, Zaugg TL, Kaelin C, McMillan GP, Schmidt CJ, Myers PJ, Carlson KF. Telephone-Based Progressive Tinnitus Management for Persons With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Ear Hear. 2019 Mar/Apr;40(2):227-242. doi: 10.1097/AUD.0000000000000609.