Gains in HUI3
175 subjects had baseline HUI data, 137 of those had follow-up at 1 year, 97 at year 2 and 75 at year 3. A statistically significant and clinically relevant improvement in HUI3 multi-attribute scores from baseline was seen for the group at year 1 (mean change = 0.16, 95%CI:0.11-0.21; p<0.001), which was maintained at years 2 and 3 (Figure 1, left). As can be seen in the right panel of Figure 1, preoperatively 65% were at generic “unable to hear” levels (4-5-6). Post-operatively this situation was more than reversed with 77% at generic “able to hear” levels (1-2-3).
FIGURE 1 HERE
A closer look at the individual changes in hearing attribute levels is available in Table 2; comparing preoperative with 1-year postoperative for 137 subjects with both data points. Two contingencies contributed most often to ≥0.1 gain in HUI3 multi-attribute score; those at level 5 and 6 preoperatively, or generically “unable to hear”, moving to levels 1-3 postoperatively. Table 2 also indicates that about one third (n=46, 33.6%) of subjects had no change in hearing attribute level, with by far most of those starting and finishing at level 3. Overall 74 (54%) subjects fell above the dividing line for significant hearing attribute level increase, and 63 (46%) below.
Based on the mechanism for increase in HUI3 scores elucidated in Table 1, the transitions in hearing attribute level (Table 2) contributed to 74 of the total 81/137 (59%) subjects with ≥0.1 HUI3 gain.
TABLE 2 HERE