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. 2022 Jul;279(7):3301-3307.
doi: 10.1007/s00405-021-07026-7. Epub 2021 Oct 1.

Long-term effects of a single psycho-educational session in chronic tinnitus patients

Annick Gilles  1   2   3 , Laure Jacquemin  4   5 , Emilie Cardon  4   5 , Olivier M Vanderveken  4   5 , Iris Joossen  5 , Hanne Vermeersch  5 , Stefanie Vanhecke  5 , Kaat Van den Brande  5 , Sarah Michiels  4   5   6 , Paul Van de Heyning  4   5 , Vincent Van Rompaey  4   5
Affiliations

Long-term effects of a single psycho-educational session in chronic tinnitus patients

Annick Gilles et al. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of a single psycho-educational session on tinnitus burden in chronic tinnitus patients. The session is organized at a tertiary referral center for otologic disorders at the University Hospital Antwerp as a group session (maximum of 10-15 patients a time) lasting for approximately 3-4 h. The session focusses on different aspects of tinnitus.

Methods: The current manuscript reports on 96 patients who completed the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), Visual Analogue Scale for mean loudness (VAS), Hyperacusis Questionnaire (HQ), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) prior to treatment and at 6-month follow-up. The TFI was chosen as the primary outcome. Paired-samples T tests were performed to evaluate therapy effect at 6-month follow-up. In addition, a logistic regression model revealed baseline TFI/VAS scores and duration of tinnitus as contributing factors to a significant decrease of the TFI.

Results: The TFI total score showed a significant decrease (p < 0.001) at the 6-month follow-up time point. At follow-up, 75% of patients reported their tinnitus to be under control not requiring any additional treatment. The logistic regression model showed that patients with higher baseline TFI scores, lower baseline mean VAS loudness ratings, and shorter tinnitus duration were more likely to show clinically significant improvement on the TFI scale.

Conclusions: Tinnitus Retraining Therapy or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy are effective, though very time-consuming and expensive treatments. A single psycho-educational group session was shown to be highly effective in decreasing the tinnitus burden, which increases feasibility and cost-effectiveness.

Trial registration: Not applicable as this is a retrospective reporting of tinnitus outcome in the daily clinical practice, not a clinical trial.

Keywords: Education; Psycho-education; Tinnitus; Tinnitus Functional Index; Tinnitus therapy.

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