Conclusions
After cochlear implantation there was a statistically significant group
gain in HUI3 scores at one year which was maintained at years 2 and 3.
Those who did not use the telephone at baseline were 1.5 times more
likely to get a clinically important gain of ≥0.1 in HUI3
multi-attribute score from cochlear implantation. Those with lower
hearing, speech or emotion HUI3 single-attribute levels prior to
implantation were also more likely to obtain clinically important gains
in HUI3 scores. An incapacity to use the telephone may be a useful
biomarker for cochlear implant candidacy prior to formal audiological
evaluation.
For those the subjects who obtained less than 0.1-point gain in HUI3,
this could often be attributed to a lack of change in the hearing
attribute level. However, mean hearing performance measured by the SSQ
still increased significantly for that group after CI. The HUI3 scale
stands in good stead as a health-utility instrument to measure the
benefits of cochlear implantation for those with severe handicap due to
hearing impairment, but lacks sensitivity to changes in hearing
performance compared with a disease specific measure such as the Speech,
Spatial Qualities (SSQ) scale.