How Cochlear Implant Usage Frequency, Duration, and Total Device Use Influence Cortical Auditory Responses and Speech Perception Outcomes

Objectives: Hearing performance among cochlear implant (CI) users is associated with the degree of experience with using the device, but different measures of experience are available. Here, we compared 3 different measures of experience: the duration of time elapsed since activation (CI duration), the hours of device use per day (median datalogging hours), and the total cumulative device use (TDU). Design: A retrospective analysis of 119 adult CI users (53 female) who underwent postoperative electrophysiological testing for cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs). CI experience was compared between users with present and absent CAEP responses. We also examined associations between CAEP latencies and amplitudes and the degree of CI experience. For a subset of users, postoperative speech perception test scores were available, and associations with CI experience were also investigated. Results: Significant associations were found between the presence of CAEP responses and both median datalogging hours and TDU, but not CI duration. No significant correlations were observed between CI experience and the amplitudes or latencies of CAEP waveform components. A significant correlation was observed between both median datalogging hours and TDU with speech perception in quiet test scores. Conclusions: These findings suggest that with respect to central auditory processing and hearing outcomes, median datalogging hours and TDU are superior measures of the degree of experience compared with CI duration.