Critical Review: Are There Successful Predictors of Cochlear Implant Outcomes in Children with Auditory europathy Spectrum Disorder (A SD)?

This critical review examines literature that has addressed the question: Are there successful predictors of cochlear implant outcomes in children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD)? Through a search of the current literature, four studies were included for critical analysis. Study designs included one nonrandomized retrospective cohort study, one nonrandomized longitudinal cohort study, one nonrandomized between groups retrospective study and one case study. Three different potential predictors of cochlear implant success were investigated amongst the studies: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Electrocochleography (ECochG) and Genetic mutations (OTOF). Overall, the evidence provided by these studies suggests that MRIs, specifically identification of cochlear nerve deficiency, may be a potential predictor of cochlear implant success. However, no support was found for the use of ECochG and genetic mutations as predictors as a result of small sample sizes, and limited related research available. Future research is warranted in all three predictor areas with a focus on increasing the number of subjects, appropriate methodology and increased reliability.