Table I.
Assessment of Eight Quality Criteria, Overall Quality Rating, and Effect Size for Each of the 28 Studies
| Reference | Study Design* | Blinding† | Outcome Measures‡ | Compliance§ | Controls|| | Similarity Between Groups¶ | Potential Bias# | External Validity** | Study Quality | Cohen's d Effect Size (Variable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information/education | ||||||||||
| Henry et al. (2007)17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | — |
| Kaldo et al. (2007)22 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | 0.52 (TRQ) |
| Malouff et al. (2010)23 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | 0.25 (TRQ) |
| Relaxation therapy | ||||||||||
| Biesinger et al. (2010)25 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Moderate | 0.43 (TBF-12) |
| Ireland et al. (1985)27 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Low | 0.05 (BDI) |
| Weise et al. (2008)29 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Moderate | 1.63 (TQ) |
| Cognitive behavioral therapy | ||||||||||
| Abbott et al. (2009)31 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Moderate | 0.21 (TRQ) |
| Andersson et al. (2002)30 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | Moderate | 0.45 (TRQ) |
| Andersson et al. (2005)34 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | 0.65 (TRQ) |
| Henry and Wilson (1996)19†† | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Moderate | 0.37 (TRQ) |
| Henry and Wilson (1998)36 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Low | 0.6 (TRQ) |
| Kaldo et al. (2008)32 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Moderate | −0.18 (TRQ) |
| Kröner-Herwig et al. (1995)37 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Moderate | — |
| Kröner-Herwig et al. (2003)39‡‡ | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | 0.67 (TQ) |
| Rief et al. (2005)42 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | Moderate | 0.58 (TQ) |
| Robinson et al. (2008)38 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | High | — |
| Zachriat and Kröner-Herwig (2004)41§§ | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Moderate | 0.66 (TQ) |
| Sound enrichment | ||||||||||
| Davis et al. (2008)43 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Low | — |
| Herraiz et al. (2010)45 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | 0.44 (THI) |
| Stephens and Corcoran (1985)24 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Low | — |
| Tinnitus retraining therapy | ||||||||||
| Caffier et al. (2006)47 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Low | — |
| Seydel et al. (2010)48 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Low | — |
| Antidepressants | ||||||||||
| Robinson et al. (2005)49 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | High | 0.09 (THQ) |
| Sullivan et al. (1993)50 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Moderate | 0.88 (HAM-D) |
| Zöger et al. (2006)52 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | High | 0.35 (HAM-D) |
| Anxiolytics | ||||||||||
| Jalali et al. (2009)56 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | High | 0.07 (THI) |
| Night sedation | ||||||||||
| Neri et al. (2009)57 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Moderate | — |
| Rosenberg et al. (1998)58 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | High | — |
Study design: fully randomized (score 2) or stratified (score 1).
Blinding of participants (score 1) and investigators (score 1).
Validated questionnaire measures (score 2 if appropriate, 1 if weak).
Compliance measures (score 1) and reporting (score 1).
Quality of control condition (score 2 if well-controlled intervention, score 1 for waiting-list control).
Similarity of groups: baseline tinnitus severity (score 2 if no significant differences, 1 if minor differences or under-reported, 0 if groups not matched).
Bias related to funding (score 2 if stated and no evidence of bias, 1 if academic with no statement of funding source).
External validity representative a clinical population (score 1); power calculation was conducted (score 1).
Also examined education.
Also examined education and relaxation.
Also examined TRT.
TRQ = Tinnitus Reaction Questionnaire, TBF-12 = Tinnitus Handicap Inventory-12, BDI = Beck Depression Inventory, TQ = Tinnitus Questionnaire (Goebel-Hiller); THI = Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, THQ = Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaire, HAM-D = Hamilton Depression Scale.