Data from: Long-term use benefits of personal frequency-modulated systems for speech in noise perception in patients with stroke with auditory processing deficits: a non-randomised controlled trial study

Objectives: Approximately one in five stroke survivors suffer from
difficulties with speech reception in noise, despite normal audiometry.
These deficits are treatable with personal Frequency Modulated systems
(FMs). This study aimed to evaluate long term benefits in speech reception
in noise, after daily 10 week use of personal FMs, in non-aphasic stroke
patients with auditory processing deficits. Design: This was a prospective
non randomised controlled trial study. Patients were allocated to an
intervention care group or standard care subjects group according to their
willingness to use the intervention or not. Setting: Tertiary care
setting. Participants: Nine non-aphasic subjects with ischemic stroke,
normal/near normal audiometry, and auditory processing deficits and with
reported difficulties understanding speech in background noise were
recruited in the subacute stroke stage (3-12 months after stroke).
Interventions: Four patients (intervention care subjects) used the FMs in
their daily life over 10 weeks. Five patients (standard care subjects)
received standard care. Primary outcome measures: All subjects were tested
at baseline (visit 1) and 10 weeks later (visit 2) on a sentences in noise
test with the FMs (aided) and without the FMs (unaided). Results: Speech
reception thresholds showed clinically and statistically significant
improvements in intervention but not in standard care subjects at 10 weeks
in both aided and unaided conditions. Conclusions: 10 week use of FM
systems by adult stroke patients may lead to benefits in unaided speech in
noise perception. Our findings may indicate auditory plasticity type
changes and require further investigation.