title: Treatment of tinnitus with a customized, dynamic acoustic neural stimulus: clinical outcomes in general private practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluate the relative effectiveness of a newly available tinnitus treatment approach for different categories of patients in general private practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cohort study, sponsored by Neuromonics, involving the first 470 patients to undertake the Neuromonics Tinnitus Treatment in 7 Neuromonics tinnitus clinics. All patients were provided with a dynamic acoustic neural stimulus, customized to each patient's audiometric profile, for daily use as part of a structured rehabilitation program. Tinnitus disturbance was assessed before, during, and after treatment with the Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The outcomes displayed a relation with patients' suitability according to predefined criteria: among the most suitable patients (tier 1 cohort), 92% exceeded the threshold for success (defined as a reduction in tinnitus-related disturbance of at least 40%), and the mean improvement in tinnitus disturbance was 72%; the discontinuance rate was 4%. For other suitability categories, the success rates and mean improvements were somewhat lower, and the discontinuance rates higher (tier 2: 60%, 49%, and 16%, respectively; tier 3: 39%, 32%, and 17%, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that the treatment is effective for suitable patients in the private practice setting, and they provide health-care professionals with guidance as to what patients might expect from treatment, depending on their degree of suitability.
authors.affiliation: Neuromonics Pty Limited, Chatswood, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hanley
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Bardia
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Paki
authors.forename: Shaunine A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Bellekom
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011331:Private Practice; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult