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Cochlear implantation in adults with single-sided deafness: generic and disease-specific long-term quality of life

  • Otology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To determine the 2-year outcome of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adults who received a cochlear implant (CI) for single-sided deafness (SSD).

Methods

Twenty adults (mean age at implantation: 47 ± 11 years) with SSD (PTA worse ear: 113 dB HL, PTA better ear: 14 dB HL) were administered the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire (NCIQ), and the Health Utility Index 3 (HUI 3). Questionnaire administration occurred before cochlear implantation and 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after implant activation.

Results

Of the 20 patients, 2 discontinued CI use within the observation period due to poor benefit. The NCIQ total score of the sample increased significantly over time (p = 0.003). The largest increase occurred within the first 3 months of CI use. Also, the HUI 3 multi-attribute utility score increased significantly (p = 0.03). The post-treatment increase of this score (+ 0.11 points) indicated that the gain in HRQoL was clinically relevant. Patients with a duration of deafness > 10 years had in all measures an equal HRQoL improvement than had patients with a duration of deafness < 10 years.

Conclusion

Cochlear implantation led to significant improvement of hearing-specific and generic HRQoL in our patients. The improvement was seen after 3 or 6 months but did not increase further at later intervals. Patients with long-lasting SSD may be at higher risk of discontinuing CI use. However, if they adapt to the CI, they can experience an equal increase of HRQoL as patients with a short duration of SSD.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Anke Hirschfelder, Charité University Clinic Berlin, for providing a German version of the NCIQ.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department for Hearing Speech and Voice Disorders, Medical University of Innsbruck, Anichstraße 35, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Franz Muigg, Josef Seebacher & Viktor W. Weichbold

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Franz Muigg & Harald R. Bliem

  3. Comprehensive Hearing Center, ENT University Clinic, Würzburg, Germany

    Heike Kühn

  4. University Hospital of Psychiatry I, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

    Bernhard Holzner

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  1. Franz Muigg
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  2. Harald R. Bliem
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Franz Muigg.

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Conflict of interests

This study did not receive funding in financial form. The MedEl Elektromedizinische Geräte GmbH supported the study with licencing of the HUI 3 utility tool.

Ethical approval

This study was conducted according to the ethical standards of the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. The study was approved by the Ethic Committees of the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria, and the University of Würzburg, Germany.

Informed consent

Informed consent was not applicable in this study because data were obtained during routine clinical procedures.

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Muigg, F., Bliem, H.R., Kühn, H. et al. Cochlear implantation in adults with single-sided deafness: generic and disease-specific long-term quality of life. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 695–704 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-019-05737-6

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