Comparing the Efficacy of Domestic Versus Imported Hearing Aids in ARHL

This study aims to conduct a non-inferiority, single-blind, randomized controlled trial to compare the hearing improvement effects of domestic hearing aids versus imported hearing aids in patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss.

A total of 80 patients meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group (domestic hearing aids) or the control group (imported hearing aids).

The domestic hearing aids used in this study are from the Bigsound brand and include behind-the-ear (BTE), neck-worn, and in-the-ear (ITE) styles. All of these hearing aids are rechargeable.The imported hearing aids used in this study are from the Phonak brand and include behind-the-ear (BTE), neck-worn, and in-the-ear (ITE) styles.

Each group will undergo a 30-minute trial with their respective hearing aids. Pure Tone Average (PTA) and Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) before and after the 30-minute trial will be collected, and the improvements in PTA and SRT will be calculated.The market price of the hearing aids and the degree of hearing improvement in decibels for each patient will be recorded, and a comprehensive cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. Additionally, after the 30-minute trial, the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) and the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) will be used to assess the benefits of the hearing aids.

Statistical analyses will be conducted to determine whether the domestic hearing aids are non-inferior to the imported hearing aids in terms of hearing and speech improvement. The analysis will also evaluate patient satisfaction, performance in different listening environments, and adaptation to the hearing aids for both the domestic hearing aids and imported hearing aids.

Inclusion criteria

• Age ≥ 60 years and ≤ 85 years;
• Diagnosed with age-related hearing Loss, which is characterized by bilateral, symmetrical, and gradually progressive hearing loss primarily affecting high frequencies, along with a decline in speech recognition ability, as referenced in the "Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Intervention of Age-Related Hearing Loss" (2019 edition);
• Age-related hearing Loss is of moderate to severe or severe sensorineural hearing loss, with moderate to severe defined as 50 to <65 dB HL, and severe defined as 65 to <80 dB HL;
• Chinese nationality, able to complete all assessments in the Chinese language;
• Right-handed;
• No significant neurological diseases, severe systemic diseases, family history of genetic disorders, or major psychiatric conditions;

Exclusion criteria

• Exclusion of noise-induced hearing loss, hereditary hearing loss, drug-induced hearing loss, etc.;
• Inability to use hearing aids ;
• Presence of dementia, Parkinson's disease, or other neurodegenerative diseases that may affect study compliance;
• History of cerebrovascular accidents, stroke, epilepsy, or other central nervous system disorders;
• Other conditions deemed by the investigator to be exclusionary.