이명 환자를 대상으로 한 모바일 기기 기반의 이명재훈련치료의 효용성

Abstract

Background and Objectives Tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) is a well-known effectivemethod for tinnitus management by retraining the brain to achieve habituation of tinnitus. Themobile device based TRT can let both clinicians and patients be free from time and space limita-tions and secure cost-effectiveness. The study aimed to investigate whether the mobile-based TRTis inferior or not to the conventional TRT in treatment outcomes for chronic subjective tinnitus. Subjects and Method A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted in a singletertiary hospital. Adult patients with chronic subjective tinnitus were enrolled. Pure tone audi-ometry, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [(STAI), axis1 and axis2], Beck Depression Inventory,Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and a survey for TRT were evaluated. Tinnitus Handicap In-ventory (THI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) of tinnitus, and Tnnitogram were compared at thestart, then at one month and three months of the treatment. The mobile group was subdividedinto the treatment effective group and the refractory group. Demographics, baseline tinnitusseverity, and therapy compliance were comparatively analyzed. Results A total of 19 patients for the mobile-based TRT and 21 patients for the conventionalTRT were enrolled. THI scores and Tinnitus scores using VAS were significantly reduced inthe mobile group after the treatment. Furthermore, THI and STAI were significantly more im-proved in the conventional group than in the mobile-based TRT at one and three months of thetreatment. Also, the effective group of the mobile device based TRT was statistically youngerthan the refractory group and had a higher understanding of the treatment method. Conclusion The mobile-based TRT could improve THI and VAS scores of tinnitus at oneand three months of treatment. However, the conventional TRT showed better outcome thanthe Mobile-based TRT with respect to THI scores. The mobile-based TRT can be one of dif-ferent potential options that clinicians can apply to tinnitus patients who cannot follow theconventional TRT or limited candidate. Further improvement of the mobile device based TRT would be needed.