Comprehensive Analysis of Factors Leading to Poor Performance in Prelingual Cochlear Implant Recipients

To comprehensively analyze the prognostic factors responsible for affecting outcomes following cochlear implantation in prelinguals.

Retrospective cohort study from June 2004 to November 2015.

Tertiary care center.

Patients who had undergone cochlear implantation during June 2004 to November 2015 for prelingual sensorineural hearing loss with a minimum follow-up of 2 years.

Patients were evaluated for the presence of 20 risk factors possibly influencing postimplantation outcomes using a questionnaire.

Assessment for speech and auditory function was done at the last follow-up with speech intelligibility ratings (SIR) and categories of auditory performance (CAP) scores, respectively.

One hundred fifty-one patients were included in this study. On univariate analysis for CAP, age at implantation, noncompliance to pre and postimplantation auditory and speech habilitation, poor parental motivation, socioeconomic status and literacy were found to be associated with lower scores (p < 0.05). Whereas, for SIR, additionally, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and inner ear malformation were statistically significant negative predictors on univariate analysis. Finally, factors responsible for low CAP scores on multivariate analysis were poor parental literacy, poor socioeconomic status, irregular pre/postimplantation rehabilitation, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. While for SIR, additionally age at implantation was also a significant negative predictor. Increasing IQ and duration of implant use were associated with higher CAP (univariate) and SIR scores (univariate and multivariate) (p < 0.05).

We were able to demonstrate negative impact of higher age at implantation, minimal cognitive disorder, adverse parental/socioeconomic profile, and poor compliance to pre/postimplantation auditory verbal habilitation on auditory and speech outcomes.