Objective: A recent study suggested that placebo effects are a source of bias in non-blinded hearing-aid trials. Given the potential impact of this finding on the interpretation of non-blinded trials and design of future research trials, the objective of the present study was to investigate the reliability of this effect.
Design: Using the same procedure as an earlier study, participants were told that they were taking part in a trial of new hearing-aid technology. Participants compared two devices that were acoustically identical, except one was described as "new" and the other as "conventional". Participants completed a speech-in-noise test, sound quality ratings, and rated overall personal preference for both hearing aids.
Study Sample: Sixteen adult hearing-aid users.
Results: Participants had significantly better mean speech-in-noise performance (70.9% versus 66.8%, Z = 2.30, p = 0.02, effect size Pearson's r = 0.15) and sound quality ratings for the "new" hearing aid (8.1 versus 7.4, Z = - 2.99, p = 0.003, r = 0.28). A significant proportion of participants (75%) expressed an overall preference for the "new" hearing aid (p = 0.001, effect size φc = 0.66).
Conclusion: Placebo effects reliably impact on hearing-aid trials. In order to control for placebo effects, double-blind methodology is optimal. However, when double-blinding is not possible other strategies may be appropriate.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2013.783718 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Prophylactic pharmacological interventions against perioperative respiratory adverse events in children undergoing noncardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Anesth
January 2025
Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, No.58, Zhongshan 2Nd Road, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Purpose: Perioperative respiratory adverse event (PRAE) is one of the most common complications in pediatric anesthesia. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of perioperative pharmacological interventions to prevent the development of PRAE in children undergoing noncardiac surgery.
Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.
Effect of Probiotics on the Symptomatology of Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents: Pilot Study.
Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol
January 2025
Nutrition and Mental Health Research Group (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira I Virgili (URV), Carretera de Valls, S/N, 43007, Tarragona, Spain.
The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of using probiotics with strains related to dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid production on clinical features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This randomized, controlled trial involved 38 children with ADHD and 42 children with ASD, aged 5-16 years, who received probiotics (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Levilactobacillus brevis 109/cfu/daily) or placebo for 12 weeks. Parent-reported symptoms were assessed using Conners' 3rd-Ed and the Social Responsiveness Scale Test, 2nd-Ed (SRS-2), and children completed the Conners Continuous Performance Test, 3rd-Ed (CPT 3) or Conners Kiddie CPT, 2nd-Ed (K-CPT 2).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDo transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks improve pain after laparoscopic bilateral inguinal hernia repairs beyond the recovery unit? A randomized control trial.
Hernia
January 2025
Department of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1259, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
Purpose: While surgeons agree that perioperative field blocks should be performed for open inguinal hernia surgery, there lacks consensus in the minimally invasive context. Prior small-scale randomized trials study pain scores only up to 24 h postoperatively. Thus, we sought to investigate the analgesic benefits of a bupivacaine transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block in the first 4 postoperative days.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComparative Efficacy and Safety of Oral Semaglutide in Asians and Non-Asians Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Diabetes Ther
January 2025
First Clinical Medical College, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Endocrinology and Metabology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical, University & Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Key Laboratory of Rheumatic Disease and Translational Medicine, Shandong Institute of Nephrology, Jinan, China.
Introduction: More than half of diabetes patients are Asians, and their tolerance to antidiabetic drugs may differ from that of non-Asians. Oral semaglutide has recently gained attention for its advantages in glycemic and body weight control. However, its effects across different ethnic groups remain unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlkalinised lidocaine as an anaesthetic before onabotulinumtoxinA injections. a randomised trial.
BJU Int
January 2025
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of intravesical alkalinised lidocaine as an anaesthetic treatment on procedural pain during intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA (BTX-A) injections for overactive bladder.
Patients And Methods: This single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled two period crossover trial was conducted on women scheduled for BTX-A injections at our outpatient urogynaecology clinic between September 2022 and May 2024. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either alkalinised lidocaine or placebo during the first treatment period.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!