Development and Evaluation of a Language-Independent Test of Auditory Discrimination for Referrals for Cochlear Implant Candidacy Assessment.
Teresa Y C Ching, Harvey Dillon, Sanna Hou and 3 others
PMID 34812793WHAT IT FOUND
Higher scores on a game-based nonsense-syllable test went with better sentence perception in noise among 81 English-speaking adults using hearing aids or cochlear implants.
The test may help estimate likelihood of better discrimination with a cochlear implant, but needs other-language testing.
Key findings
01The LIT-AD used nonsense syllables and was built from 81 items selected after testing with 50 adults using cochlear implants.
02Higher LIT-AD discrimination scores were associated with better sentence perception in noise for hearing aid users (r = -0.54, p <0.001) and cochlear implant users (r = -0.73, p <0.001).
03The developers used LIT-AD scores from hearing aid users and a sample of cochlear implant users to estimate the probability of scoring higher with a cochlear implant.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The probability model was not checked prospectively in people before and after cochlear implantation; the paper says future studies need to verify it in larger groups. The test was developed and evaluated only with English-speaking adults who enrolled in research, so it has not been shown to work in other languages or routine clinical settings. The sample could not represent people with congenital hearing loss who received early amplification or cochlear implantation. The probability estimates adjusted only for duration of hearing loss and not other factors that may affect cochlear implant outcomes. The regression sample was relatively small, so the probability estimates are current best estimates rather than established clinical thresholds. Although designed for self-administration, some patients may need support to complete the test.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat the LIT-AD as a validated language-independent screening tool for cochlear implant referral in routine care. It was developed and evaluated only with English-speaking adults in research, and the probability estimates need checking in larger groups before implantation.