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TinnitusNCT02438891

Treatment of Tinnitus Using a Web-based Sound and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

A study testing Cognitive behavioral therapy in people with Tinnitus, run by University of California, Irvine at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Most tinnitus sufferers experiences significant anxiety or depression that worsens the subjective symptoms related to tinnitus. In this study, we intend to use internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in addition to sound therapy to provide psychotherapy to patients with tinnitus. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Tinnitus
What is being tested?
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
92 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
14 Jul 2019to 16 Dec 2020
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Subjects with the chief complaint of tinnitus for 6 months or more
  • 18 years or older
  • Male or Female
  • Internet and e-mail access at home
  • Adequate command of English to fill out the surveys and questionnaires in the website

Who cannot join

  • Aged less than 18 years
  • History of Psychosis
  • Subjects currently taking medications known to cause tinnitus (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) which cannot be stopped.
  • Active illicit drug use, alcohol dependence
  • Patients with severe depression based on the Beck's depression inventory survey scores
  • Patients with severe anxiety based on the GAD-7 survey scores
Show all 10Show fewer
  • Patients with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) based on the PTSD- civilian version survey
  • Not currently undergoing CBT with a Psychologist
  • No other concurrent tinnitus therapy
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of California Irvine Medical Center

    Orange, California, 92868

Other trials in United States

About this study

Most tinnitus sufferers experiences significant anxiety or depression that worsens the subjective symptoms related to tinnitus. In this study, we intend to use internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in addition to sound therapy to provide psychotherapy to patients with tinnitus. Multiple research studies have found CBT to be effective in improving the subjective symptoms of tinnitus. The internet-based CBT course developed for this study is 8 weeks in duration and organized into eight 1-week modules; each module contains 2-4 separate lessons and homework assignments. Patients will be given unique usernames and passwords. In each weekly module, patients will review educational materials online, do exercises. and will be given feedback based on the results of the completed exercises. In addition, patients are given different meditation exercises each week for relaxation and coping with their tinnitus. These interactive materials enable patients to manage and control any negative feelings and thoughts that may be associated with tinnitus and help take their attention away from tinnitus. Tinnitus loudness and annoyance will be measured before and after the program. An internet-based course enables care providers to monitor patients' progress with the CBT course remotely, and allows patients to learn CBT at their own convenience and schedule.

Read the detailed description

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) system as a method of treating patients with tinnitus. Tinnitus is a common symptom that is defined as the perception of the sound in the ears without any external source. It is often described by the patients as ringing or a buzzing sound, alone or more often as a mixture of sounds. This symptom afflicts 10 to 15% of the adult population. It usually does not bother patients significantly; however about 10% of the patients will suffer severe problems which include insomnia, anxiety, depression and other emotional problems. The various forms of treatment for tinnitus that have been tested in properly controlled trials can be classified as pharmacological, sound therapy and psychological. In clinical trials, no pharmacological agent has been shown to have lasting effect on the presence or severity of tinnitus. Despite numerous available treatments for tinnitus, it is rarely curable and the sufferer must use coping strategies to decrease the distress.

CBT is a psychological treatment that has emerged as consistently beneficial in terms of affecting overall well-being and reducing the level of tinnitus-related annoyance. CBT is a form of psychotherapy for tinnitus that intends to measure and improve the affected individual's reaction to tinnitus. It does not eliminate the auditory perception, but reduces or corrects negative responses to tinnitus. CBT identifies negative automatic thought and determines its validity with the patient. It intends to modify negative automatic thoughts to more positive and realistic ones. Using this method, the patients with tinnitus can function better despite the presence of tinnitus.

One of the problems with CBT is the shortage of clinicians who are specialized in CBT for tinnitus. For this reason, some programs have been developed which utilize guided or therapist-supported self-help approach. Internet based CBT have been developed for patients with tinnitus in several studies. Anderson and colleagues in Sweden compared pre and post therapeutic effect of CBT in 117 participants with tinnitus duration of more than 6 months. All subjects had been offered the CBT program and 96 provided outcome measures. Tinnitus-related distress, depression, and diary ratings of annoyance decreased significantly. Also in comparison to a control group, they found out that these patients showed an improvement of at least 50% on the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire. They concluded that CBT via the Internet can help individuals decrease annoyance associated with tinnitus. In another study by Kaldo et.al., they evaluated the difference between internet-based CBT and group-based CBT. The subjects in internet treatment consumed less therapist time and it was 1.7 times as cost-effective as the group treatment. However some studies support the utilization of self-help methods for treatment of tinnitus, but there are still some problems with using these methods such as accessibility to internet, knowledge of the patients on using computers and internet, interactivity and user friendly structure of the software that is used for the program and time management of the patients for practicing methods and exercises embedded in this program. By correcting and rectifying these 3 of 25 issues, internet-based self-help programs will better serve the patients with their cost-effective and time saving benefits. Currently there is no web-based CBT for the treatment of tinnitus available.

The objective of this study is to evaluate an internet-based CBT course for the treatment of tinnitus. Adult patients (18+ years) with moderate-to-severe tinnitus (see additional Inclusion Criteria) will be selected for enrollment and will take pre-course surveys and undergo tinnitus-specific audiometry testing. The 8-week course will be completed by the patients online, at home. Following completion of the course, enrollees will repeat the surveys and tinnitus-specific audiometry tests.

Conditions
Tinnitus
Medical subject headings
Tinnitus

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Cognitive behavioral therapyBehavioural

    Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of tinnitus psychotherapy which aims to help patients control negative thoughts or emotions associated with tinnitus.

Study groups in NCT02438891
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
CBT courseExperimental8-week internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy and sound therapy course
Receives: Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Subjective improvement of tinnitus

    Subjective improvement, from baseline, of tinnitus-related stress, emotions, feelings and thoughts. Evaluated by pre- and post-course audiometry and surveys, and patient feedback.

    Measured: 9 weeks

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Beck's depression survey

    pre-course and post-course survey for subjective assessment of tinnitus

    Measured: 9 weeks

  2. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder civilian survey

    pre-course and post-course survey for subjective assessment of tinnitus

    Measured: 9 weeks

  3. Tinnitus handicap inventory survey

    pre-course and post-course survey for subjective assessment of tinnitus

    Measured: 9 weeks

  4. GAD-7 survey

    pre-course and post-course survey for subjective assessment of tinnitus

    Measured: 9 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted8 May 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study start14 Jul 2019
  3. Primary completion16 Dec 2020
  4. Study completion16 Dec 2020

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
92 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02438891
Sponsor's protocol ID
2014-1358
Status last verified
Mar 2022
First submitted
6 May 2015
Last updated
5 Apr 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Cima RF, Maes IH, Joore MA, Scheyen DJ, El Refaie A, Baguley DM, Anteunis LJ, van Breukelen GJ, Vlaeyen JW. Specialised treatment based on cognitive behaviour therapy versus usual care for tinnitus: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2012 May 26;379(9830):1951-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60469-3.

    PubMed 22633033
  • Zachriat C, Kroner-Herwig B. Treating chronic tinnitus: comparison of cognitive-behavioural and habituation-based treatments. Cogn Behav Ther. 2004;33(4):187-98. doi: 10.1080/16506070410029568.

    PubMed 15625793
  • Andersson G, Kaldo V. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for tinnitus. J Clin Psychol. 2004 Feb;60(2):171-8. doi: 10.1002/jclp.10243.

    PubMed 14724924
  • Sweetow RW. Cognitive aspects of tinnitus patient management. Ear Hear. 1986 Dec;7(6):390-6. doi: 10.1097/00003446-198612000-00008.

    PubMed 3792682
  • Jasper K, Weise C, Conrad I, Andersson G, Hiller W, Kleinstauber M. Internet-based guided self-help versus group cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial. Psychother Psychosom. 2014;83(4):234-46. doi: 10.1159/000360705. Epub 2014 Jun 19.

    PubMed 24970708
  • Kaldo V, Haak T, Buhrman M, Alfonsson S, Larsen HC, Andersson G. Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for tinnitus patients delivered in a regular clinical setting: outcome and analysis of treatment dropout. Cogn Behav Ther. 2013;42(2):146-58. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2013.769622. Epub 2013 Feb 25.

    PubMed 23432207
  • Hesser H, Gustafsson T, Lunden C, Henrikson O, Fattahi K, Johnsson E, Zetterqvist Westin V, Carlbring P, Maki-Torkko E, Kaldo V, Andersson G. A randomized controlled trial of Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy in the treatment of tinnitus. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2012 Aug;80(4):649-61. doi: 10.1037/a0027021. Epub 2012 Jan 16.

    PubMed 22250855
  • Kaldo V, Levin S, Widarsson J, Buhrman M, Larsen HC, Andersson G. Internet versus group cognitive-behavioral treatment of distress associated with tinnitus: a randomized controlled trial. Behav Ther. 2008 Dec;39(4):348-59. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2007.10.003. Epub 2008 Apr 20.

    PubMed 19027431
  • Kaldo-Sandstrom V, Larsen HC, Andersson G. Internet-based cognitive-behavioral self-help treatment of tinnitus: clinical effectiveness and predictors of outcome. Am J Audiol. 2004 Dec;13(2):185-92. doi: 10.1044/1059-0889(2004/023).

    PubMed 15903144

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Cognitive behavioral therapy in people with Tinnitus, run by University of California, Irvine at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Apr 2022. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Subjective improvement of tinnitus (time frame: 9 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02438891, which also lists 9 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Apr 2022.

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