Active clinical trials for "Deafness"

This is a phase 2a single and repeat dose exploratory efficacy study of intratympanic FX-322 compared to placebo in healthy male and female adults with stable sensorineural hearing loss.

Technological advances in hearing aids and telecommunications, including the widespread availability of telehealth (referred to in this proposal as "e-Audiology") applications, have the potential to expand both access and affordability of hearing aids for those with age-related hearing loss (ARHL). E-Audiology is used by clinicians in a variety of settings, including private practice, university clinics, and the Veterans Administration. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association recently updated the Scope of Practice guidelines for audiology to include telehealth as "an alternative method of service delivery that en-compasses both diagnostics and intervention services.", including all aspects of hearing aid selection, fitting, and follow-up counseling and rehabilitation. However, given the paucity of evidence of comparative efficacy between office-based service delivery and e-Audiology in real-world settings, patients and relevant stakeholders are faced with a major decisional dilemma when determining which mode of service delivery would be optimal for addressing the needs, preferences, and lifestyles of those with ARHL. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine the benefits, drawbacks, and patient satisfaction associated with e-Audiology delivery of hearing aid fitting, services, and supports for older adults with mild to moderate ARHL. We plan to use data collected in this pilot study for a future R01 submission to the NIH.

Tinnitus associated to hearing loss is a high prevalent audiologic disorder with important unmet needs as far as therapy is concerned. The present study is exploring the possible beneficial effects on tinnitus loudness or annoyance of a combination drug treatment aimed to increase the local inhibitory activity of neural circuitries involved in sound perception and generation. Modest effects have been reported after 8-12 weeks treatment with antidepressants, including high dose paroxetine (up to 50 mg/day). Biologic data suggests that the combination of increase of extracellular serotonin using an SSRI and of blockade of NK1 receptors using a novel NK1 antagonist may lead to a reduced tinnitus and, possibly, improved hearing acuity. To this aim, two 14 day treatment conditions, i.e., SSRI paroxetine (20 mg/day) plus the NK1 antagonist vestipitant (25mg /day) or vestipitant alone (25 mg /day), will be compared to placebo in patients suffering from tinnitus previously selected for their capacity to reliably score the transient attenuation of tinnitus loudness produced by lidocaine infusion. Effects on principal endpoints will be collected within 4 hrs from last administration, when the plasma levels of vestipitant are calculated to be in the range associated to pharmacodynamic effects on VAS anxiety and qEEG (>30 ng/ml). PK, safety and tolerability of the paroxetine-vestipitant combination was addressed with preclinical and Phase I studies, showing no relevant issue. The cross-over study will require approximately 24 patients. Audiometry and computer-based Automated Psychoacoustics will be performed as instrumental endpoints to support subjective scores. A diary will be used at home to score tinnitus severity at home during the study.

The short-term research objectives of the proposed study are as follows: To measure the effects of audiological intervention on selected domain specific (i.e., Communicative, Interpersonal, and Social roles) and overall functioning using the WHO-DASII, a generic health measure conceptually grounded in the ICIDH-2 model of disablement and functioning. To measure the effects of audiological intervention on selected domain specific (i.e., Role Functioning-Emotional; and, Social Functioning) and overall functioning using the MOS-SF36V, a generic health measure currently utilized in the Veteran's Health Administration. To determine the accuracy with which measures of audibility (SII), hearing handicap (HHIE), and, hearing disability (APHAB) predict domain specific and overall functioning, and life-satisfaction as measured by the WHO-DASII and the MOS-SF36V will be evaluated. To compare hearing aid treatment effects as measured by changes in WHO-DASII domain specific and overall functioning scores to those measured by changes in disease specific instruments examining similar constructs. To compare hearing aid treatment effects as measured by changes in MOS-SF36V domain specific and overall functioning scores to those measured by changes in disease specific instruments examining similar constructs. To determine and compare cost-effectiveness of hearing aid intervention as calculated using WHO-DASII and MOS SF-36V outcome data. The long-term research objective is to compare the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of audiologic intervention with those of other health care interventions commonly associated with the veteran population (e.g. mental health, cardiology, pulmonary, orthopedic, etc.).

Knowledge about how to manage hearing aids is an important factor in hearing aid success, but studies show that this knowledge ranges from good to poor, even among experienced adult hearing aid users. Information leaflets is a common tool in healthcare to give information with the purpose to increase theoretical knowledge and change behaviour, and illustrations in these leaflets can provide additional understanding for all kinds of patients. The primary aim of this aural rehabiliation study was to evaluate participants' knowledge about placement in a noisy environment, directional microphone and telecoil function at baseline and postintervention and assessing their perceptions of the benefits of an information leaflet. Additional aim was to investigate whether, an information leaflet with illustrations and accompanying text about hearing aid functions have additional effects on participants' knowledge compared to an information leaflet without illustrations.

The investigators are interested in an additional hearing aid feature called non-linear frequency compression (NLFC). This aims to improve audibility of high frequency sounds by converting them into lower frequencies and has been shown to benefit those with moderate-severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Cochlear dead regions (DRs) are areas of the inner hearing organ (the cochlea) where there is little or no function and are commonly found in regions responsible for detecting high pitched (frequency) sounds. Not all people with hearing loss have DRs. The investigators would like to determine whether based on the presence or absence of DRs, patients with moderate-severe SNHL perform better or prefer their hearing aids programmed conventionally, or with NLFC activated. To do this, two participant groups will be created based on findings from the threshold equalising noise (TEN) test which identifies cochlear DRs. Two participant groups will be created; one group with DRs and one group without DRs. All participants will receive two hearing aids and will wear these programmed conventionally for ~six weeks and with NLFC activated for ~six weeks in a counterbalanced manner. Following each condition, participants will complete a questionnaire and various speech tests will be performed. This involves participants repeating sentences, words or speech sounds they hear from a speaker in quiet and in the presence of background noise. Individuals' scores will be calculated for each test and their performance when NLFC was activated and deactivated will be compared. This will be analysed alongside the questionnaire data to compare the 'DR' and 'no DR' group in both conditions. Findings may help to determine whether NLFC should be activated for all moderate-severe SNHL patients, or just those with DRs, helping clinicians to optimise hearing aid settings for patients.

This is a randomized, double-blind study of PIPE-505, or placebo, in subjects with hearing loss associated with speech-in-noise impairment.

To assess the feasibility of achieving a minimally invasive access to the inner ear through the navigation-based HEARO procedure and subsequently insert the electrode array of the cochlear implant through the access.

The aim of this clinical investigation is to investigate the subject´s overall preference, hearing performance and self-reported assessments with the Investigational device and its precursor Sound Processor (Comparator) after 6 weeks in subjects with conductive/mixed hearing loss or Single Sided Deafness, (SSD).

Prosody is the melody and rhythm of speech, it is used to refer to the supra segmental aspects of speech including pitch, loudness and duration. Variations in these features achieve different prosodic functions and are perceived by the listener as meaningful changes. The role of prosody in language acquisition and effective communication is documented in research. Nevertheless, prosodic intervention in children with hearing impairment received less attention compared to other speech and language areas. The aim of this study is to adapt the "prosody treatment program", an evidence based rehabilitation program, and to detect the efficacy of its activities in improving the prosodic skills of Egyptian hearing impaired children. The "prosody treatment program" is an evidence-based practice targeting receptive and expressive prosodic skills in addition to speech production, intelligibility, pragmatics and phonology. The program is applied using a systematic approach of providing cues following the principles adapted from dynamic temporal and tactile cueing (DTTC) for speech motor learning to help accelerate the child's learning of the prosodic skills targeted in this program. The program was translated to Arabic and adapted to be suitable for the Egyptian children.