Table 4.
Analysis of change in hearing threshold averages among prospectively enrolled cases over time (between discharge and 3 months, and between discharge and 9 months) using linear mixed model controlling for between-patient variation
| Model a | Assessment time-points b | Mean difference in PTA (95%CI) |
|---|---|---|
| Main effect with no adjustment | 3 month follow-up | 11.1% (7.0–15.1) |
| 9 month follow-up | 10.6% (7.1–14.0) | |
| Main effect with adjustment c | 3 month follow-up | 11.2% (7.0–15.1) |
| 9 month follow-up | 10.5% (7.1–13.9) |
PTA, Pure Tone Average; CI, Confidence Interval.
Main effect was significant with p-value<0.001.
Discharge time-point was the reference for comparison.
Adjusted for age, sex, and location of audiometry (sound-proof booth at hospital versus home environment); the effect of these variables was non-significant. We also examined the effect of other potential confounding variables including corticosteroid treatment, preexisting medical conditions, alcohol drinking, occupation and education on hearing improvement, however no statistical significance was observed.