Multi-Institutional Study on Predictors of Cochlear Implant Device Usage Among Pediatric Patients With Single-Sided Deafness

Monday, September 30, 2024

3:18 PM – 3:24 PM EDT

Location: MBCC, 225

Disclosure(s):

Elizabeth N. Liao, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Amber D. Shaffer, PhD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

David H. Chi, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: Children with single-sided deafness (SSD) benefit from cochlear implantation (CI) in speech perception in noise and quiet, sound localization, speech, and spatial hearing. Despite these benefits, many SSD patients become limited- or non-CI users. We examined how sociodemographic, medical, and audiologic factors influence obtaining a CI and subsequent device usage.

Methods: Sociodemographic, audiologic, and CI device usage variables were collected via retrospective chart review from patients aged 0-18 years with SSD as of 2023 across two tertiary academic centers. Non-CI users used their CI between 0-2 hours/day on average; limited-CI users, 2-6 hours/day; and full-CI users, >6 hours/day. Chi-squared and ANOVA tests were used for hypothesis testing.

Results: Among 177 SSD patients, 94 (53%) were female, 57 (32%) were under-represented minorities; 85 (48%) had private insurance, and 17 (10%) did not speak English as their primary language. Of these, 54 (31%) passed their newborn hearing screen. Another 80 (45%) were managed with close observation, 77 (44%) received a hearing device, and 16 (9%) received a CI. Of the 16 CI users, 7 (44%) were non-users, 3 (19%) were limited-users, and 5 (28%) were full-users. Census tract-level information was available from one institution; 53 (54%) lived in a census tract with a high to very high overall Child Opportunity Index and 19 (19%) had progressive HL. Patients who passed their newborn hearing screen (p = 0.03), were diagnosed with HL at a later age (p = 0.003), or had progressive HL (p = 0.01) were significantly more likely to obtain a CI. Having private insurance (p = 0.72) and higher overall COI (p = 0.52) were not significantly associated with obtaining a CI. CI use was not associated with sociodemographic or audiologic variables on univariate analysis.

Conclusions: Audiologic factors have a large impact in CI-related decision-making. We will use these results to target semi-structured interviews to better understand how and when SSD patients decide to use their CI.

Presenting Author(s)

EL

Elizabeth N. Liao, MD

Resident Physician
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
AS

Amber D. Shaffer, PhD

Research Assistant Professor
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

Inderpreet Kaur Khalsa, MS

Medical Student
School of Medicine, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
Turlock, California, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
SA

Samantha Anne, MD, MS

Medical Director, Pediatric Ear and Hearing Disorders; Professor, Pediatric Otolaryngology
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
DC

Dylan K. Chan, MD, PhD

Professor
UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital
San Francisco, CA, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
DK

Dennis J. Kitsko, DO

Associate Professor
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
Megan P. Arnold, BS

MD/PhD Student
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
MS

Malaak Saadah, BS

Medical Student
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
Brandon A. Aguilar, BS

Medical Student
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.

Senior Author(s)

DC

David H. Chi, MD

Division Chief
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA, United States

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.