Computer-based Auditory Training by New Adult Cochlear Implant Recipients Is Associated With Durable Improvements in Cochlear Implant Quality of Life.

This was an observational study, not a randomised trial, so it cannot prove that computer-based auditory training caused better quality of life. Patients chose whether to use training, and training use was self-reported without auditing or time tracking, so the amount and accuracy of training use are uncertain. Unmeasured factors such as motivation may have influenced both training use and quality-of-life scores. CIQOL-35 outcomes were available for only 73 of 114 patients because the instrument was still under development at the start of the study. 6-month data were not analysed because of insufficient data and overlap with 3-month data. Face-to-face training was used by only 22 of 114 patients, and the authors noted this analysis may have been underpowered. AzBio sentences in noise were not evaluated because of low collection rates, and routine speech recognition tests may not capture real-world functional ability.

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Do not conclude that computer-based auditory training caused better quality of life. Training was voluntary, use was self-reported without tracking, and patients who chose it may have differed in motivation or other unmeasured ways. Also, the quality-of-life association did not come with a greater speech recognition gain at 12 months.