DSL(child)-Algorithm-Based Hearing Aid Fitting Can Improve Speech Comprehension in Mildly Distressed Patients with Chronic Tinnitus and Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss

Background: Patients with chronic tinnitus and mild-to-moderate hearing loss (HL) can experience difficulties with speech comprehension (SC). The present study investigated SC benefits of a two-component hearing therapy. Methods: One-hundred-seventy-seven gender-stratified patients underwent binaural DSL(child)-algorithm-based hearing aid (HA) fitting and conducted auditory training exercises. SC was measured at four timepoints under three noise interference conditions each (0, 55, and 65 dB): after screening (t(0); without HAs), HA- fitting (t(1)), additional auditory training (t(2)), and at 70-day follow-up (t(3)). Repeated-measure analyses of covariance investigated the effects of HAs (t(0)–t(1)), auditory training (t(1)–t(2)), and the stability of the combined effect (t(2)–t(3)) on SC per noise interference level and HL subgroup. Correlational analyses examined associations between SC, age, and psychological indices. Results: Patients showed mildly elevated tinnitus-related distress, which was negatively associated with SC in patients with mild but not moderate HL. At 0 dB, the intervention lastingly improved SC for patients with mild and moderate HL; at 55 dB, for patients with mild HL only. These effects were mainly driven by HAs. Conclusions: The here-investigated treatment demonstrates some SC-benefit under conditions of no or little noise interference. The auditory training component warrants further investigation regarding non-audiological treatment outcomes.