Hearing aid fitting showdown: default settings vs. precision measurements
NCT ID NCT05621798
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether using real-ear measurements (REM) to fit hearing aids leads to better outcomes than using the manufacturer's default settings. 101 first-time hearing aid users participated. Researchers measured hearing ability, satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness to see if the extra step of REM is worthwhile.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Real-Ear Measurement (REM) fitting procedure
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that REM fitting improves hearing aid outcomes and is cost-effective, encouraging more audiologists to use it.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed, small study (101 participants) comparing two fitting methods, not testing a new treatment. Results may not apply to all hearing aid users or settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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101 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2022
- Finished
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Sep 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 80 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * all first-time adult patients (18-80 years of age) eligible for bilateral hearing aid rehabilitation based on an evaluation by an otolaryngologist or an audiologist Exclusion Criteria: * confirmed cases of cognitive decline or dementia * unilateral or conductive hearing impairment
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Kuopio University Hospital
Kuopio, 70210, Finland
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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