The Long-Term Effect of Cochlear Implantation on Tinnitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Diagnostics
Li, Y., Yang, H., et al. (2024).
Diagnostics, 14(18), 2028.
<div>This systematic review with meta-analysis investigates the longitudinal impact of cochlear implantation (CI) on tinnitus in adults, 18 years and older, with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and chronic tinnitus (i.e., more than one year).</div>
Innovative Research Groups of Hubei Province (China); National Key Research and Development Program of China; National Natural Science Foundation of China
From database inception to April 30, 2024
<div>Original studies with comparative data between pre- and post-operative states. Excludes review articles, supplemental reports, case reports, animal studies, and studies with less than 2 patients.</div>
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<div>Overall, CI users demonstrated significant improvements in tinnitus perception. Tinnitus measures showed the following mean differences (MD):</div>
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<ul>
<li>Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI): MD=-13.03;</li>
<li>Tinnitus Questionnaire (TQ): MD=-14.87; and</li>
<li>Visual Analog Scale (VAS): MD=-3.12.</li>
</ul>
<div>Analysis of follow-up time showed significant MD at the following points of time:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>THI: 3 months=-48.56, 6 months=-35.94, and more than 1 year=-10.64.</li>
<li>TQ: short-term follow-up (13 months or less)=-15.63 and long-term follow-up (18-24 months)=-12.22.</li>
<li>VAS: short-term (3-6 months)=-2.51, middle-term (12-13 months)=-3.47, and long-term follow-up (18-24 months)=-2.97.</li>
</ul>
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<div>Subgroup analysis found significant MD for CI users with unilateral hearing loss (HL) on the THI (MD=-46.34), on the TQ, (MD=-22.07), and on the VAS (MD=-3.42). Subgroup analysis found significant MD for CI users with bilateral HL on the THI (MD=-11.95) and the TQ (MD=-8.16), but no significant difference on the VAS.</div>
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<div>While results of this review are promising, the authors caution that a fraction of patients might experience worsened or new onset tinnitus with CI. Limitations of this review include heterogeneity in surgical methods and outcomes assessments, study design, potential exclusion of relevant studies due to language criteria, and the paucity of follow-up studies. Additional research is needed to investigate the long-term benefits of CI on tinnitus over time.</div>
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