Comparing the Speech Perception of Cochlear Implant Users with Three Different Finnish Speech Intelligibility Tests in Noise.

Tytti Willberg,Aarno Dietz,Pia Linder,Ville Sivonen

doi:10.3390/jcm10163666

Abstract

Background: A large number of different speech-in-noise (SIN) tests are available for testing cochlear implant (CI) recipients, but few studies have compared the different tests in the same patient population to assess how well their results correlate. Methods: A clinically representative group of 80 CI users conducted the Finnish versions of the matrix sentence test, the simplified matrix sentence test, and the digit triplet test. The results were analyzed for correlations between the different tests and for differences among the participants, including age and device modality. Results: Strong and statistically significant correlations were observed between all of the tests. No floor or ceiling effects were observed with any of the tests when using the adaptive test procedure. Age or the length of device use showed no correlation to SIN perception, but bilateral CI users showed slightly better results in comparison to unilateral or bimodal users. Conclusions: Three SIN tests that differ in length and complexity of the test material provided comparable results in a diverse CI user group.

Highlights

While cochlear implant (CI) provide most patients adequate speech perception in quiet listening conditions, speech perception typically deteriorates drastically in noise [6,9], and noisy listening environments remain a challenge for CI users
The participants in this study were 80 consecutive adult and adolescent CI users from Kuopio University Central Hospital and Helsinki University Central Hospital, who volunteered to participate in the study during their routine follow-up visit
Three CI users had to be excluded since their speech recognition score for the Finnish matrix sentence test (FMST) presented at +10 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was less than 70%

Summary

Introduction

Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cochlear implantation (CI) has been a standard treatment for severe-to-profound hearing loss (HL) for more than two decades. CIs are safe and effective intervention for HL [1,2,3,4], even in elderly patients [5]. Reaching open-set speech perception is currently a realistic and attainable goal for the majority of CI users [6,7,8]. While CIs provide most patients adequate speech perception in quiet listening conditions, speech perception typically deteriorates drastically in noise [6,9], and noisy listening environments remain a challenge for CI users

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