The impact of cochlear implantation on quality of life: the role of audiologic performance and variables.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of cochlear implantation (CI) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), to correlate the results with audiologic performance, and to analyze the influence of variables that possibly affect the CI outcome.


METHODS
A retrospective study.


METHODS
Fifty-six adult CI users were evaluated by two HRQOL-questionnaires (the Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire [NCIQ] and the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 [SF-36]) and speech-perception tests (Freiburger monosyllable and Hochmair, Schulz, Moser (HSM) sentence test).


RESULTS
The NCIQ showed significant improvements in the total score and in all subdomains after CI. The NCIQ total score and the advanced sound-perception and speech-production score correlated significantly with speech test results. Significant inverse relationships were noted between speech test results and duration of deafness. Significant associations were found between time since CI, NCIQ total score, and speech test results.


CONCLUSIONS
The NCIQ was able to detect significant effects of CI on HRQOL and correlated with audiologic measures, supporting its use as a measurement tool in CI.
Hirschfelder
Anke
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany.
Gräbel
Stefan
S
Olze
Heidi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome