Cochlear Implantation and Risk of Falls in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether cochlear implantation (CI) increases the risk of clinically significant falls in older adults.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of deidentified administrative claims from a US commercial insurance database.

SETTING

Nationwide deidentified private insurance claims database (Clinformatics Data Mart; Optum).

METHODS

Patients undergoing CI were identified through codes. Number of days with falls resulting in health care expenditure were counted 1 year pre- and post-CI. Generalized estimating equation Poisson regression was used to determine medical and sociodemographic predictors for fall days, including age, sex, race, and income, with pre- vs post-CI status.

RESULTS

Between 2003 and 2019, 3773 patients aged >50 years underwent CI. An overall 139 (3.68%) patients recorded at least 1 fall diagnosis a year pre-CI, and 142 (3.76%) recorded at least 1 fall diagnosis post-CI. The average number of days with fall diagnoses per patient with a recorded fall was 3.12 pre-CI and 2.04 post-CI. In bivariate analysis, age ( < .0001) and Charlson Comorbidity Index ( < .0001) were predictive of falls, but sex ( < .10), race ( < .72), and income ( < .51) were not. Poisson regression demonstrated a statistically significant association between Charlson Comorbidity Index and days with fall diagnoses (risk ratio, 1.39 [95% CI, 1.30-1.49]; < .0001]). No statistically significant difference in falls was seen pre- vs post-CI (risk ratio, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.34-1.33]; < .25]). Age also was not predictive of falls in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

CI does not appear to increase the risk of falls in older adults. Patient comorbidities correlate most strongly with fall risk and should be considered in patient selection for CI.