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RecruitingNCT06882889Updated Aug 13, 2025

Comparing the Efficacy of Domestic Versus Imported Hearing Aids in ARHL

An interventional study of Domestic hearing aids and Imported hearing aids in Age-related Hearing Loss and Hearing Loss, Sensorineural, sponsored by Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University. Recruiting at 1 site in China. Open to participants aged 60 Years to 85 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-08-13.

Sponsored by Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Aug 2025, 1 year 2 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Registered 3 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Oct 2024, registered Feb 2025).
  • Started Oct 2024; still recruiting 2 years later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
80
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
60 Years to 85 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study compares the hearing improvement effects of domestic hearing aids and imported hearing aids in 80 patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss. Patients will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group (domestic hearing aids) or the control group (imported hearing aids) and will undergo a 30-minute trial. Pure Tone Average (PTA) and Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) will be measured both before and after the trial. The improvements in PTA and SRT will be calculated.The market prices of the hearing aids and the degree of hearing improvement in decibels will be recorded. These data will be used to conduct a comprehensive cost-effectiveness analysis. After the trial, the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) and the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) will be used to assess the benefits of the hearing aids.

Read the detailed description

This study aims to conduct a non-inferiority, single-blind, randomized controlled trial to compare the hearing improvement effects of domestic hearing aids versus imported hearing aids in patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss.

A total of 80 patients meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to either the experimental group (domestic hearing aids) or the control group (imported hearing aids).

The domestic hearing aids used in this study are from the Bigsound brand and include behind-the-ear (BTE), neck-worn, and in-the-ear (ITE) styles. All of these hearing aids are rechargeable.The imported hearing aids used in this study are from the Phonak brand and include behind-the-ear (BTE), neck-worn, and in-the-ear (ITE) styles.

Each group will undergo a 30-minute trial with their respective hearing aids. Pure Tone Average (PTA) and Speech Recognition Threshold (SRT) before and after the 30-minute trial will be collected, and the improvements in PTA and SRT will be calculated.The market price of the hearing aids and the degree of hearing improvement in decibels for each patient will be recorded, and a comprehensive cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. Additionally, after the 30-minute trial, the International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) and the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) will be used to assess the benefits of the hearing aids.

Statistical analyses will be conducted to determine whether the domestic hearing aids are non-inferior to the imported hearing aids in terms of hearing and speech improvement. The analysis will also evaluate patient satisfaction, performance in different listening environments, and adaptation to the hearing aids for both the domestic hearing aids and imported hearing aids.

02

Conditions studied

  • Age-related Hearing Loss
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural

Keywords

  • Age-related hearing loss
  • Hearing Aids
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
03

In context

Presbycusis

66 studies on the registry are indexed under Presbycusis; 21 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 80 is above the median of 60 across 45 interventional studies indexed under Presbycusis.

Browse Presbycusis studies →

Lead sponsor

Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University is the lead sponsor of 483 studies on the registry; 283 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
60 Years to 85 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Age ≥ 60 years and ≤ 85 years;
  2. Diagnosed with age-related hearing Loss, which is characterized by bilateral, symmetrical, and gradually progressive hearing loss primarily affecting high frequencies, along with a decline in speech recognition ability, as referenced in the "Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Intervention of Age-Related Hearing Loss" (2019 edition);
  3. Age-related hearing Loss is of moderate to severe or severe sensorineural hearing loss, with moderate to severe defined as 50 to \<65 dB HL, and severe defined as 65 to \<80 dB HL;
  4. Chinese nationality, able to complete all assessments in the Chinese language;
  5. Right-handed;
  6. No significant neurological diseases, severe systemic diseases, family history of genetic disorders, or major psychiatric conditions;

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Exclusion of noise-induced hearing loss, hereditary hearing loss, drug-induced hearing loss, etc.;
  2. Inability to use hearing aids ;
  3. Presence of dementia, Parkinson's disease, or other neurodegenerative diseases that may affect study compliance;
  4. History of cerebrovascular accidents, stroke, epilepsy, or other central nervous system disorders;
  5. Other conditions deemed by the investigator to be exclusionary.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
80 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    The experimental group

    The experimental group will use domestic hearing aids.

    Device: Domestic hearing aids

  • Active comparator
    The control group

    The control group will use imported hearing aids.

    Device: Imported hearing aids

Interventions

  • DeviceDomestic hearing aids

    The domestic hearing aids used in this study are from the Bigsound brand. Using domestic hearing aids for intervention, one first evaluates the patient's hearing condition through pure-tone audiometry. Subsequently, by thoroughly understanding the patient's hearing needs, lifestyle, and other relevant factors, the most suitable type and functions of hearing aids are selected to best meet the individual's specific situation.

  • DeviceImported hearing aids

    The imported hearing aids used in this study are from the Phonak brand. Using imported hearing aids for intervention, one first evaluates the patient's hearing condition through pure-tone audiometry. Then, by thoroughly understanding the patient's hearing needs, lifestyle, and other relevant factors, the most suitable type and functions of hearing aids are selected to best meet the individual's specific situation.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Improvement in Pure Tone Average (ΔPTA)

    Improvement in Pure Tone Average (ΔPTA): The improvement in Pure Tone Average (ΔPTA) will be assessed by measuring the average of the lowest sound intensities detectable at 0.5 kHz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, and 4 kHz in the better ear of patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss both before and after hearing aid fitting, using pure tone audiometry and sound field audiometry. These measurements will be recorded as pre-fitting PTA and post-fitting PTA. Improvement in Pure Tone Average (ΔPTA) = post-fitting PTA - pre-fitting PTA

    Time frame: The initial assessment will be conducted prior to the use of the hearing aid, and the follow-up assessment will be performed 0.5 hours after the hearing aid is used.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Improvement in Speech Recognition Threshold (ΔSRT)

    Improvement in Speech Recognition Threshold (ΔSRT): The improvement in Speech Recognition Threshold (ΔSRT) will be assessed by measuring the lowest sound intensity at which 50% of spondee words are correctly identified by patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss , both before and after hearing aid fitting. This will be done using speech audiometry and sound field speech audiometry. The measurements will be recorded as pre-fitting SRT and post-fitting SRT. Improvement in Speech Recognition Threshold (ΔSRT)= post-fitting SRT - pre-fitting SRT

    Time frame: The initial assessment will be conducted prior to the use of the hearing aid, and the follow-up assessment will be performed 0.5 hours after the hearing aid is used.

  2. International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA)

    The International Outcome Inventory for Hearing Aids (IOI-HA) scale will be used to evaluate the usage experience and satisfaction of patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss after wearing domestic hearing aids and imported hearing aids for 30 minutes.

    Time frame: The assessment will be conducted only after the patient has used the hearing aid for 0.5 hours.

  3. Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB)

    Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) : The Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB) scale will be used to evaluate the hearing performance of patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss in different listening situations after wearing domestic hearing aids and imported hearing aids for 0.5 hours. This assessment aims to understand the effectiveness of the hearing aids in various listening environments and the patients' adaptation to the hearing aids.

    Time frame: The assessment will be conducted only after the patient has used the hearing aid for 0.5 hours.

  4. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA):

    Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) will be used to evaluate the estimated costs of domestic hearing aids and imported hearing aids. The degree of hearing loss in decibels (dB) for patients with moderate to severe and severe age-related hearing loss will be recorded. The cost-effectiveness ratio will be calculated by dividing the total costs by the number of dB of hearing improvement. The measurement will be in Chinese Yuan (CNY) per dB.

    Time frame: The assessment will be conducted only after the patient has used the hearing aid for 0.5 hours.

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 13, 2025, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06882889
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 19, 2025
Start date
Oct 24, 2024
Primary completion
Aug 30, 2025 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2025 (estimated)
Last update
Aug 13, 2025

Study contacts

Yang Haidi, PhD
Contact
yanghaidi1978@163.com
13178821663
Yang Haidi, PhD
study chair · SunYatSunU2H

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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