Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40924638›Full record

ArticleAudiology & neuro-otology2026

Audiological Performance, Complications, and Compliance of the ADHEAR Bone Conduction Device in a Paediatric Patient Cohort.

Hidde Kees Krijnen, Luke Sterry, Anne Elizabeth Child-Hymas, Max Sallis Osborne, Myrthe Hol, Ann-Louise McDermott

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Audiology & neuro-otology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Guideline
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Hidde Kees KrijnenDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, h.k.krijnen@umcg.nl.
Luke SterryDepartment of Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Anne Elizabeth Child-HymasDepartment of Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Max Sallis OsborneDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, Dudley, UK.
Myrthe HolDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Ann-Louise McDermottDepartment of Paediatric Otorhinolaryngology, Birmingham Women's and Children's Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe ADHEAR is a non-surgical bone conduction device that makes use of an adhesive adapter. While clinical trials have demonstrated its efficacy with regard to audiological performance, safety, and compliance, data on real-world paediatric cohorts are scarce.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study analysed data from paediatric patients fitted with ADHEAR at a tertiary centre between January 2017 and September 2024. Baseline characteristics such as hearing loss aetiology were recorded. Long-term free-field aided and unaided warble-tone audiometry was performed within a subsample of 19 patients. Compliance and reasons for discontinuation were recorded over a follow-up period of up to 78 months and based on the last recorded status.

resultsA total of 111 children (mean age: 10.1 years) were included. Mean functional gain was 22.7 (95% CI: 18.3-27.1) decibels hearing loss (dB HL) and the mean effective gain was 20.3 dB HL (95% CI: 20.3 [16.4, 24.2]). Skin complications were low and reported in 16 children (14.4%), of whom 7 needed to temporarily refrain from device use. Long-term compliance was 40.9% (median follow-up: 24 months). Key reasons for discontinuation included lack of perceived benefit (23.5%), appearance or social stigmatization issues (20.6%), and practical issues with adhesives (16.2%).

conclusionFor congenital malformation and chronic suppurative otitis media patients, the ADHEAR provides effective amplification, although air-bone gap closure is suboptimal. Complications associated with device use were relatively rare and mild in nature. Compliance rates were notably lower than observed in other studies. Appearance and social stigmatization issues should be addressed during consultation.

Indexed as

Bone ConductionHearing AidsHearing Loss, ConductivePatient ComplianceAdolescentAudiometry, Pure-ToneChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesAudiologyBone conductionHearing lossOutcomesPaediatrics

Identifiers

PMID40924638
PMCPMC12890262

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.