Nordic results of cochlear implantation in adults: speech perception and patient reported outcomes

Abstract

Background

Although cochlear implantation (CI) is widely performed in postlingually hearing-impaired adults in the Nordic countries, the literature on hearing outcomes remains scarce. Aims/objectives: To evaluate and correlate hearing outcomes after implantation.

Methods

Prospective evaluation of 40 adult first-implantation recipients pre- and post-implantation with Dantale, the Danish Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ) and the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ12).

Results

Dantale_mean increased from 50% (95% CI [41.7,58.4])) to 73% (95% CI [66.6,80.1]) and 19% (95% CI [13.3,25.1]) to 40%(95% CI [32.1,46.7]) (quiet/noise). HINT_words increased from 71% (95% CI [58.8,83.8]) to 83% (95% CI [69.8,95.4]) and 59% (95% CI [46.2,70.6]) to 73% (95% CI [63.3,82.8]) (quiet/noise). NCIQ_mean changed from 277 (95% CI [252.4,301.6]) to 396 (95% CI [366.7,424.7]) and SSQ12_mean from 27 (95% CI [21.3,31.8]) to 48 (95% CI [39.4,55.6]). Correlations coefficients were r_s = 0.39–0.74 (p < .01) between Dantale/HINT, rs = 0.78 (p < .0001) between NCIQ/SSQ12, r_s = 0.41–0.59 (p < .01) between NCIQ/SSQ12 and Dantale and r_s = 0.24–0.41 (ns) between NCIQ/SSQ12 and HINT.

Conclusion

The study documents a high auditory performance and patient-perceived improvement after implantation and advocate broader awareness of implantation as treatment option in the growing population of severe-to-profound hearing-impaired adults. Correlations between hearing measures may influence future evaluation practices.

Chinese abstract

背景：尽管在北欧国家中, 人工耳蜗植入（CI）在听觉受损的成年人中广泛进行, 但是关于听力结果的文献仍然很少。

目的：评估和比较植入后的听力结果。

方法：对40例成年首次植入接受者植入前后进行前瞻性评估：Dantale、丹麦听力测试（HINT）、奈梅亨耳蜗植入问卷（NCIQ）以及语音、空间和听力量表评估（SSQ12）。

结果：Dantalemean从50％（95％CI [41.7,58.4]））上升至73％（95％CI [66.6,80.1]）；从19％（95％CI [13.3,25.1]）增加到40％（95％CI[32.1,46.7]）（安静/噪音）。HINT从71％（95％CI [58.8,83.8]）增加到83％（95％CI [69.8,95.4]）

和59％（95％CI [46.2,70.6]）到73％（95％CI [63.3,82.8]）（安静/噪音）。 NCIQmean从277（95％CI [252.4,301.6]）上升到396（95％CI [366.7,424.7]）, SSQ12mean从27（95％CI [21.3,31.8]）上升到48（95％CI [39.4,55.6]）。 Dantale 和HINT之间的相关系数为rs¼0.39–0.74（p <.01）, NCIQ /和SSQ12之间的为rs¼0.78（p <.0001）, NCIQ / SSQ12和Dantale的为rs¼0.41-0.59（p <.01）, NCIQ / SSQ12和HINT之间为rs¼0.24-0.41（ns）。

结论：该研究记录了植入后很好的听觉表现和患者感知的改善, 并提倡在越来越多的严重到深层听力障碍的成年人群中将植入作为治疗选择。听力指标之间的比较关系可能影响未来的评估实践。

Keywords:

• Treatment
• hearing rehabilitation
• hearing loss
• deafness
• outcome
• performance
• patient-reported outcomes

Acknowledgments

The contents of this paper have not been published or presented previously.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interests.

Additional information

Funding

NW has received a research grant from the William Demant Foundation.