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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06423742

Consecutive Dual-Session tDCS in Chronic Subjective Severe to Catastrophic Tinnitus With Normal Hearing

We aimed to analyze the effect of continuous dual session tDCS in patients with severe chronic subjective tinnitus without any evidence of hearing loss in terms of relief of tinnitus perception, distress, and loudness. Also, we investigated the difference in the maintenance duration of the tinnitus suppression effect of consecutive dual session tDCS compared to other groups followed up for 2 months.

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Key information

Conditions

Tinnitus, Subjective Ear Diseases Hearing Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Sensation Disorders Signs and Symptoms Tinnitus

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital

Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, 445-170, South Korea

About this study

The participants were randomly allocated with three different arms (control, single-session, and dual session) using block to balance the size of each group. Pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry, tinnitogram (pitch matching, loudness, minimal masking level and residual inhibition), auditory evoked potential, THI, visual analogue scale (VAS) of loudness, awareness and annoyance, and BDI were evaluated as a baseline tests. Participants who assigned to the control group underwent dual sham stimulation per day, twice a week for 1 month. Patients were received sham and true stimulation once alternately in the single session group and two true stimulation per day in the dual session group for the same period as the control group. All subjects who enrolled this study were given a conventional treatment such as tinnitus retraining therapy, sound therapy using sound generator, and medications like clonazepam, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for patients who wanted to take for relief of symptoms.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Individuals who have experienced subjective tinnitus for over 3 months.
  • Individuals with normal hearing, defined as an average pure tone threshold of less than 25 dB between 0.5-4 kHz, and the presence of the V wave at 30 dBnHL with a difference in V wave latency of less than 0.2 ms in both ears during the ABR test.
  • Individuals with severe tinnitus, as indicated by a Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score of 58 or higher, and who have been assessed for symptoms of anxiety and depressive mood using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire.

Exclusion criteria

  • Those requiring treatment for neurological disorders such as epilepsy, migraine, or intracranial masses.
  • Pregnant individuals on the day of providing consent and those with metal-based electric implantable prosthetics.
  • Individuals with objective or somatic tinnitus, auditory hallucinations, unwillingness to provide written consent, or unwillingness to continue the trial, and those who have participated in previous trials involving tDCS for tinnitus.

Treatment and study plan

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Device

The device used for tDCS in this study was DC-Stimulator Plus (NeuroConn GmbH, Ilmenau, Germany). The localization of stimulation area (DLPFC) was determined according to the 10/20 EEG system. Non-conducting, elastic head strap was placed around the head to prevent displacement during stimulation. The recording electrode covered with 5 x 7 cm sized traditional rectangular sponge was soaked with 6-7 mL of 0.9% NaCl saline solution per side and placed on the F3 (anode, left frontal) and F4 (cathode, right frontal) EEG location. Subjects were given 2 mA stimulation intensity for 20 min per session including fade-in and fade-out times for 20 seconds each. Interval between each session was 20 min. Sham procedure has been adopted a Fade In of current, Short Stimulation, Fade Out (FISSFO) protocol that consist of initial ramp up for 20 seconds, 2 mA stimulation for 40 seconds, and 20 seconds for ramp down. To check to impendence, brief current of 110 µA over 15ms every 550ms was delivered.

Primary outcomes

  1. Visual analogue scale (VAS) related to tinnitus

    Time frame: All participants were checked the VAS immediately after the last stimulation of every week for 4 weeks and 8th week (4 weeks after the end of treatment).

    To achieve a more quantitative evaluation of tinnitus reduction, we assessed the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

  2. Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI)

    Time frame: THI was assessed at the 4th and 8th week visits.

    The subjective improvement of tinnitus was evaluated using THI.

  3. Beck depression inventory (BDI)

    Time frame: THI was assessed at the 4th and 8th week visits.

    To assess the association between tinnitus relief and depression, we evaluated the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
May 21, 2024
Registry last updated
May 21, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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