Comparison of eSRTs and comfort levels in users of Digisonic SP cochlear implants

OBJECTIVE: This project proposes to assess the relation between the electrical stapedius reflex threshold (eSRT) and comfort levels in users of the Digisonic SP cochlear implant. METHODS: Cross-sectional study, where eSRTs are compared to the comfort current levels at 2 weeks and at 1-year post-fitting in a group of 11 adults getting a significant improvement in open set speech recognition from a Digisonic SP cochlear implant. RESULTS: The linear relation between eSRTs and comfort levels results in Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.65 (P < 0.01; at 2 weeks) to 0.60 (P < 0.05; at 1 year). The comfort levels can be predicted from the eSRTs for the Digisonic SP device from the model equation C level = 19.12 + 0.41*eSRT within a clinically acceptable margin of error. DISCUSSION: Reflex thresholds could be obtained in most participants, and in most channels of the Digisonic implant. The equation model appears as a quite reliable predictor of comfort levels for users of this device.