{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T00:58:05Z","timestamp":1773881885109,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,29]],"date-time":"2021-06-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1624924800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100010661","name":"Horizon 2020 Framework Programme","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["848261"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["848261"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100010661","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Current evidence on efficacy of hearing aids (HAs) on tinnitus perception and annoyance is considered insufficient due to the heterogeneity of tinnitus characteristics and of methods used in the relevant clinical studies. This is a scoping review focused on the methodological aspects of clinical studies evaluating the value of HA fitting as part of tinnitus management over the past 10 years. Thirty-four studies were included in the review, showing important heterogeneity in almost all aspects of inclusion criteria, comparators, outcome measures, follow-up time and HA fitting procedures. Although all studies show that HA fitting has a positive impact on tinnitus perception in patients with hearing loss, the methodological heterogeneity does not allow robust conclusions. Future studies taking into account the different nature and goals of each tinnitus therapeutic modality and adapting their methods, endpoints and timelines according to them could lay the groundwork for obtaining high-quality evidence on whether and how HA fitting shall be implemented in tinnitus management strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm10132896","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,29]],"date-time":"2021-06-29T10:52:46Z","timestamp":1624963966000},"page":"2896","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Hearing Aid Fitting in Tinnitus: A Scoping Review of Methodological Aspects and Effect on Tinnitus Distress and Perception"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1445-5474","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dimitrios","family":"Kikidis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Evgenia","family":"Vassou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nikolaos","family":"Markatos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7942-1788","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Winfried","family":"Schlee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Universit\u00e4t Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2586-7551","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Eleftheria","family":"Iliadou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Hippokration General Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1007\/s00106-019-0633-7","article-title":"A Multidisciplinary European Guideline for Tinnitus: Diagnostics, Assessment, and Treatment","volume":"67","author":"Cima","year":"2019","journal-title":"Hno"},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"Hesse, G. (2016). Evidence and Evidence Gaps in Tinnitus Therapy. GMS Curr. Top. Otorhinolaryngol. Head Neck Surg., 15."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"959","DOI":"10.1001\/jamaoto.2016.1700","article-title":"Tinnitus Epidemiology: Prevalence, Severity, Exposures And Treatment Patterns In The United States","volume":"142","author":"Bhatt","year":"2016","journal-title":"JAMA Otolaryngol. Head Neck Surg."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"491","DOI":"10.3109\/14992027.2011.560904","article-title":"Influence of Depressive Symptoms, State Anxiety, and Pure-Tone Thresholds on the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory in Japan","volume":"50","author":"Oishi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"156","DOI":"10.4103\/1463-1741.53362","article-title":"Could an Underlying Hearing Loss Be a Significant Factor in the Handicap Caused by Tinnitus?","volume":"11","author":"Ratnayake","year":"2009","journal-title":"Noise Health"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13452","DOI":"10.1523\/JNEUROSCI.2156-11.2011","article-title":"Tinnitus with a Normal Audiogram: Physiological Evidence for Hidden Hearing Loss and Computational Model","volume":"31","author":"Schaette","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"146","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroscience.2018.12.038","article-title":"Enhanced Central Neural Gain Compensates Acoustic Trauma-Induced Cochlear Impairment, but Unlikely Correlates with Tinnitus and Hyperacusis","volume":"407","author":"Hofmeier","year":"2019","journal-title":"Neuroscience"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuroscience.2018.12.019","article-title":"Acoustic Middle-Ear-Muscle-Reflex Thresholds in Humans with Normal Audiograms: No Relations to Tinnitus, Speech Perception in Noise, or Noise Exposure","volume":"407","author":"Guest","year":"2019","journal-title":"Neuroscience"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"88","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heares.2019.02.016","article-title":"The Search for Noise-Induced Cochlear Synaptopathy in Humans: Mission Impossible?","volume":"377","author":"Bramhall","year":"2019","journal-title":"Hear. Res."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"345","article-title":"Blinding: Who, What, When, Why, How?","volume":"53","author":"Karanicolas","year":"2010","journal-title":"Can. J. Surg."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hall, D.A., Smith, H., Hibbert, A., Colley, V., Haider, H.F., Horobin, A., Londero, A., Mazurek, B., Thacker, B., and Fackrell, K. (2018). The COMiT\u2019ID Study: Developing Core Outcome Domains Sets for Clinical Trials of Sound-, Psychology-, and Pharmacology-Based Interventions for Chronic Subjective Tinnitus in Adults. Trends Hear., 22.","DOI":"10.1177\/2331216518814384"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"467","DOI":"10.7326\/M18-0850","article-title":"PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and Explanation","volume":"169","author":"Tricco","year":"2018","journal-title":"Ann. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hopewell, S., Clarke, M., Lefebvre, C., and Scherer, R. (2007). Handsearching versus Electronic Searching to Identify Reports of Randomized Trials. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., MR000001.","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.MR000001.pub2"},{"key":"ref_14","unstructured":"Higgins, J., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., Page, M., and Welch, V. (2021, May 15). Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 6.2 (Updated February 2021). Available online: \/handbook\/current\/chapter-21."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2016.01.021","article-title":"PRESS Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies: 2015 Guideline Statement","volume":"75","author":"McGowan","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Clin. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"697","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2005.11.010","article-title":"Single Data Extraction Generated More Errors than Double Data Extraction in Systematic Reviews","volume":"59","author":"Buscemi","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Clin. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"152","article-title":"Effects of Hearing Aids on Tinnitus in Geriatric Patients with Age-Related Hearing Loss","volume":"17","author":"Acar","year":"2014","journal-title":"Turk Geriatr. Derg."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bjorl.2015.05.010","article-title":"Effects of Sound Amplification in Self-Perception of Tinnitus and Hearing Loss in the Elderly","volume":"82","author":"Araujo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Braz. J. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"64","article-title":"Benefit of Using the Prosthesis with Sound Generators in Individuals with Tinnitus Associated With Mild to Moderately Severe Hearing Loss","volume":"20","author":"Berberian","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. Tinnitus J."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.5935\/0946-5448.20160010","article-title":"The Efficacy of Hearing Aids for Emotional and Auditory Tinnitus Issues","volume":"20","author":"Cabral","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. Tinnitus J."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Cribari, J., Ribas, A., Fonseca, V.R., Moretti, C.M., Zeigelboim, B.S., Martins, J., and Rosa, M.R.D. (2016). da Description of Tinnitus and Its Relation to Discomfort Level in a Group of Elderly Hearing Aid Wearers. Int. Tinnitus J., 20.","DOI":"10.5935\/0946-5448.20160007"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233121651454265","DOI":"10.1177\/2331216514542657","article-title":"The Influence of Sound Generator Associated With Conventional Amplification for Tinnitus Control: Randomized Blind Clinical Trial","volume":"18","author":"Bento","year":"2014","journal-title":"Trends Hear."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"195","article-title":"Tinnitus Sound Therapy with Open Ear Canal Hearing Aids","volume":"6","author":"Forti","year":"2010","journal-title":"B-ENT"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1600109","DOI":"10.1109\/JTEHM.2019.2897570","article-title":"Implementation and Long-Term Evaluation of a Hearing Aid Supported Tinnitus Treatment Using Notched Environmental Sounds","volume":"7","author":"Haab","year":"2019","journal-title":"IEEE J. Transl. Eng. Health Med."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1097\/AUD.0000000000000093","article-title":"Validation of a Novel Combination Hearing Aid and Tinnitus Therapy Device","volume":"36","author":"Henry","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ear. Hear."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"546","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.16067","article-title":"Tinnitus Management: Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Extended-Wear Hearing Aids, Conventional Hearing Aids, and Combination Instruments","volume":"28","author":"Henry","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"97","DOI":"10.3109\/17483107.2015.1079266","article-title":"A Crossover Trial Comparing Wide Dynamic Range Compression and Frequency Compression in Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Therapy","volume":"12","author":"Hodgson","year":"2017","journal-title":"Disabil. Rehabil. Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.1159\/000377617","article-title":"Hearing Aid or Tinnitus Masker: Which One Is the Best Treatment for Blast-Induced Tinnitus? The Results of a Long-Term Study on 974 Patients","volume":"20","author":"Jalilvand","year":"2015","journal-title":"Audiol. Neurootol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"914","DOI":"10.3109\/14992027.2012.721934","article-title":"Tinnitus Pitch, Masking, and the Effectiveness of Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Therapy","volume":"51","author":"McNeill","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"126","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.23.2.7","article-title":"A Comparison of Benefit and Economic Value between Two Sound Therapy Tinnitus Management Options","volume":"23","author":"Newman","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"413","article-title":"Outcomes of Tinnitus Masking Therapy in Patients Selected Based on Audiological and Psychological Criteria","volume":"8","author":"Ogut","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Int. Adv. Otol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1159\/000349979","article-title":"Effectiveness of the Combined Hearing and Masking Devices on the Severity and Perception of Tinnitus: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind Study","volume":"75","author":"Oz","year":"2013","journal-title":"ORL"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"548","DOI":"10.3109\/14992027.2011.572263","article-title":"Open Ear Hearing Aids in Tinnitus Therapy: An Efficacy Comparison with Sound Generators","volume":"50","author":"Parazzini","year":"2011","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Peltier, E., Peltier, C., Tahar, S., Alliot-Lugaz, E., and Cazals, Y. (2012). Long-Term Tinnitus Suppression with Linear Octave Frequency Transposition Hearing Aids. PLoS ONE, 7.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0051915"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"734","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bjorl.2019.05.003","article-title":"Clinical Randomized Trial Study of Hearing Aids Effectiveness in Association with Ginkgo Biloba Extract (EGb 761) on Tinnitus Improvement","volume":"86","author":"Radunz","year":"2020","journal-title":"Braz. J. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"249","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bjorl.2016.03.021","article-title":"Sound Generator Associated with the Counseling in the Treatment of Tinnitus: Evaluation of the Effectiveness","volume":"83","author":"Rocha","year":"2017","journal-title":"Braz. J. Otorhinolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heares.2010.06.022","article-title":"Acoustic Stimulation Treatments against Tinnitus Could Be Most Effective When Tinnitus Pitch Is within the Stimulated Frequency Range","volume":"269","author":"Schaette","year":"2010","journal-title":"Hear. Res."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"574","DOI":"10.3109\/14992021003777267","article-title":"Hearing Aids as an Adjunct to Counseling: Tinnitus Patients Who Choose Amplification Do Better than Those That Don\u2019t","volume":"49","author":"Searchfield","year":"2010","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1080\/10400435.2015.1110214","article-title":"Spatial Masking: Development and Testing of a New Tinnitus Assistive Technology","volume":"28","author":"Searchfield","year":"2016","journal-title":"Assist. Technol."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1080\/21695717.2017.1421812","article-title":"Counselling and Amplification with and without Fractal Music (Zen Tones) for Management of Patients Suffering from Hearing Loss and Tinnitus","volume":"16","author":"Shabana","year":"2018","journal-title":"Hear. Balance Commun."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"617","DOI":"10.3109\/14992027.2013.799787","article-title":"Prescription of Hearing-Aid Output for Tinnitus Relief","volume":"52","author":"Shekhawat","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int. J. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"410","DOI":"10.1177\/1545968313508655","article-title":"Randomized Trial of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Management","volume":"28","author":"Shekhawat","year":"2014","journal-title":"Neurorehabilit. Neural Repair"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/j.joto.2019.05.002","article-title":"Gain Adjustment at Tinnitus Pitch to Manage Both Tinnitus and Speech Perception in Noise","volume":"14","author":"Shetty","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Otol."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1111\/coa.12575","article-title":"Notched Environmental Sounds: A New Hearing Aid-Supported Tinnitus Treatment Evaluated in 20 Patients","volume":"42","author":"Strauss","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clin. Otolaryngol."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"461","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.21.7.5","article-title":"Effects of Acoustical Stimuli Delivered through Hearing Aids on Tinnitus","volume":"21","author":"Sweetow","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tyler, R., Cacace, A., Stocking, C., Tarver, B., Engineer, N., Martin, J., Deshpande, A., Stecker, N., Pereira, M., and Kilgard, M. (2017). Vagus Nerve Stimulation Paired with Tones for the Treatment of Tinnitus: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Pilot Study in Humans. Sci. Rep., 7.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-017-12178-w"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"865","DOI":"10.1097\/MAO.0000000000002315","article-title":"Tinnitus Suppression Effect of Hearing Aids in Patients With High-Frequency Hearing Loss: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial","volume":"40","author":"Yakunina","year":"2019","journal-title":"Otol. Neurotol."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"763","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anl.2020.03.005","article-title":"Retrospective Evaluation of Secondary Effects of Hearing Aids for Tinnitus Therapy in Patients with Hearing Loss","volume":"47","author":"Yokota","year":"2020","journal-title":"Auris Nasus Larynx"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"669","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.15126","article-title":"Motivational Interviewing as an Adjunct to Hearing Rehabilitation for Patients with Tinnitus: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial","volume":"27","author":"Zarenoe","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.3766\/jaaa.16023","article-title":"Working Memory, Sleep, and Hearing Problems in Patients with Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Fitted with Hearing Aids","volume":"28","author":"Zarenoe","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Audiol."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e009171","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2015-009171","article-title":"Dimensions of Tinnitus-Related Complaints Reported by Patients and Their Significant Others: Protocol for a Systematic Review","volume":"6","author":"Haider","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hall, D.A., Hibbert, A., Smith, H., Haider, H.F., Londero, A., Mazurek, B., and Fackrell, K. (2019). One Size Does Not Fit All: Developing Common Standards for Outcomes in Early-Phase Clinical Trials of Sound-, Psychology-, and Pharmacology-Based Interventions for Chronic Subjective Tinnitus in Adults. Trends Hear., 23.","DOI":"10.1177\/2331216518824827"},{"key":"ref_53","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tyler, R.S., Coelho, C., and Noble, W. (2006). Tinnitus: Standard of Care, Personality Differences, Genetic Factors. ORL J. Otorhinolaryngol. Relat. Spec., 68.","DOI":"10.1159\/000090486"},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hoare, D.J., Edmondson-Jones, M., Sereda, M., Akeroyd, M.A., and Hall, D. (2014). Amplification with Hearing Aids for Patients with Tinnitus and Co-Existing Hearing Loss. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., CD010151.","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD010151.pub2"}],"container-title":["Journal of Clinical Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/10\/13\/2896\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T06:26:43Z","timestamp":1760164003000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2077-0383\/10\/13\/2896"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,29]]},"references-count":54,"journal-issue":{"issue":"13","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,7]]}},"alternative-id":["jcm10132896"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/jcm10132896","relation":{},"ISSN":["2077-0383"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2077-0383","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,29]]}}}