Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2025
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Predictors of Short-Term Changes in Quality of Life after Cochlear Implantation
Amit Walia1, James Bao, Noel Dwyer
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
Objective:
This study aimed 1) to measure the effect of cochlear implantation on health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) using the Cochlear Implant Quality of Life (CIQOL) questionnaire and 2) to determine audiologic, demographic, and non-CI/hearing-related QOL factors influencing the CIQOL.
Study Design:
Prospective observational study.
Setting:
Tertiary referral center.
Patients And Interventions:
Thirty-seven adult patients with sensorineural hearing loss undergoing cochlear implantation.
Main Outcome Measures:
CIQOL-global score preimplantation and 6 months postimplantation. Physical function score as measured by the short-form survey, audiologic, and demographic variables.
Results:
CIQOL showed significant improvement from preimplantation to 6 months postactivation with a mean difference of 14.9 points (95% confidence interval, 11.3 to 18.5, p < 0.0001). Improvement in CIQOL (ΔCIQOL) correlated linearly with age ( r = -0.49, p = 0.001) and improvement in speech perception testing ( r = 0.63, p < 0.0001). Multivariate modeling using age and change in consonant-vowel nucleus-consonant (CNC) score explained 46% of the variability measured by the ΔCIQOL-global score.
Conclusions:
Nearly all CI recipients achieve significant gains for all domains as measured by the CIQOL. However, younger patients and those with a greater improvement in speech perception performance (CNC) are more likely to achieve a greater CIQOL benefit. Results here suggest the importance of considering preoperative CIQOL and speech perception measures when evaluating predictors of HR-QOL.
