It is often challenging to compare studies and perform metanalyses. Data inconsistencies and incompatibility due to different reporting standards are common barriers. Until now, the field of active middle ear implants (AMEIs) has lacked reporting standards. In order to fill this gap, a group of experts has met to reach a consensus and publish their results. This article provides an overview of the most important proposals put forth in this publication.
Because the field of AMEIs is rapidly evolving, the aim of the expert group was clearly defined: to generate recommendations applicable to all current and future AMEIs. In addition, these recommendations should not only focus on audiological tests but also on safety, surgical and quality of life (QoL) outcomes.
Compliance with the suggested minimal reporting standards should result in the following advantages:
- Comparable results
- Acceptance by the wider research community
- Improvement in the quality of AMEI-related publications, if review boards apply these standards as criteria to evaluate articles
- Pooled data as a basis for regulatory decision-making
For clear and fast documentation, a table had been created as part of the publication. This table can be used to gather all pre-operative and post-operative data. It is publicly available here.
In addition to the recommendations regarding the collection of demographic and surgical data, the paper also focused on audiological testing. The following table illustrates all recommended pre-operative and post-operative audiological tests.
