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

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

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.

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Data can be made available upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Translational Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Annick Gilles, Laure Jacquemin, Emilie Cardon, Olivier M. Vanderveken, Sarah Michiels, Paul Van de Heyning & Vincent Van Rompaey

  2. University Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Annick Gilles, Laure Jacquemin, Emilie Cardon, Olivier M. Vanderveken, Iris Joossen, Hanne Vermeersch, Stefanie Vanhecke, Kaat Van den Brande, Sarah Michiels, Paul Van de Heyning & Vincent Van Rompaey

  3. Department of Education, Health and Social Work, University College Ghent, Ghent, Belgium

    Annick Gilles

  4. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

    Sarah Michiels

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  1. Annick Gilles
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  2. Laure Jacquemin
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Correspondence to Annick Gilles.

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Gilles, A., Jacquemin, L., Cardon, E. et al. Long-term effects of a single psycho-educational session in chronic tinnitus patients. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279, 3301–3307 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-07026-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-021-07026-7

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