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Clinical Trial
. 2017 Oct;127(10):2368-2374.
doi: 10.1002/lary.26513. Epub 2017 Feb 24.

Evaluation of a revised indication for determining adult cochlear implant candidacy

Douglas P Sladen  1 , René H Gifford  2 , David Haynes  3 , David Kelsall  4 , Aaron Benson  5 , Kristen Lewis  6 , Teresa Zwolan  7 , Qian-Jie Fu  8 , Bruce Gantz  9 , Jan Gilden  10 , Brian Westerberg  11 , Cindy Gustin  12 , Lori O'Neil  13 , Colin L Driscoll  1
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Evaluation of a revised indication for determining adult cochlear implant candidacy

Douglas P Sladen et al. Laryngoscope. 2017 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the use of monosyllabic word recognition versus sentence recognition to determine candidacy and long-term benefit for cochlear implantation.

Study design: Prospective multi-center single-subject design.

Methods: A total of 21 adults aged 18 years and older with bilateral moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss and low monosyllabic word scores received unilateral cochlear implantation. The consonant-nucleus-consonant (CNC) word test was the central measure of pre- and postoperative performance. Additional speech understanding tests included the Hearing in Noise Test sentences in quiet and AzBio sentences in +5 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Quality of life (QoL) was measured using the Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit and Health Utilities Index.

Results: Performance on sentence recognition reached the ceiling of the test after only 3 months of implant use. In contrast, none of the participants in this study reached a score of 80% on CNC word recognition, even at the 12-month postoperative test interval. Measures of QoL related to hearing were also significantly improved following implantation.

Conclusion: Results of this study demonstrate that monosyllabic words are appropriate for determining preoperative candidate and measuring long-term postoperative speech recognition performance.

Level of evidence: 2c. Laryngoscope, 127:2368-2374, 2017.

Keywords: Cochlear implant; quality of life; revised indications; speech recognition; word recognition.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no other funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Mean and standard deviations for the CNC word test for the pre-operative and 3-, 6-, and 12-months postactivation test intervals. Scores are expressed in RAU. CNC = consonant-nucleus-consonant. RAU = rationalized arcsine units.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Mean percent correct and standard deviations for the HINT sentence test in quiet at the preoperative and 3-, 6-, and 12-months postactivation test intervals. HINT = Hearing in Noise Test.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Mean percent correct and standard deviations for the AzBio sentence test in 5 dB SNR for the preoperative, and 6-, and 12-month postactivation test intervals. SNR = signal-to-noise ratio.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Mean percent correct and standard deviations for the four domains of the APHAB at the pre-operative and 6-, and 12-months postactivation test intervals. APHAB = Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 5.
Total score and standard deviations for each domain of the Health Utilities Index at the preoperative and 6- and 12-month postactivation test intervals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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