Pneumococcal Vaccination Lowers Meningitis Risk After Cochlear Implantation: Study
Pneumococcal vaccination reduces the risk of bacterial meningitis following cochlear implantation, as reported by a recent study published in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery journal. Meningitis is a severe and potentially life-threatening complication that has been associated with cochlear implants, especially pneumococcal meningitis. This was conducted by Jamil H. and fellow colleagues in the USA.
This was a retrospective analysis of data on pneumococcal vaccines that demonstrates their effectiveness in protecting against meningitis, including a consideration of vaccination adherence, among cochlear implant recipients. This study involved analyzing data from the TriNetX database of 35,434 patients who had undergone cochlear implantation. The incidence of meningitis was compared between the vaccinated and under-vaccinated groups to assess the risk of bacterial meningitis after implantation.
Results
The overall incidence of meningitis following cochlear implantation was 2.6% in the study population. However, a significant difference was noted between the vaccinated and under-vaccinated groups:
• Vaccinated group: 2.5% (n = 236) had meningitis.
• Under-vaccinated group: 4.1% (n = 22) had meningitis.
• The relative risk of meningitis for under-vaccinated patients was 1.60 (95% confidence interval 1.0441–2.4586; p<0.0310), which was statistically significant for the increased risk in this group.
• 9803 (27.7%) had sufficient coding to assess their immunization status.
• 9264 patients (93.7%) had received pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) immunizations.
• 539 patients (5.5%) were classified as under-vaccinated.
This study provides strong evidence that pneumococcal vaccination greatly reduces the risk for bacterial meningitis in cochlear implant recipients. Overall, the meningitis rate was 2.6%, significantly reduced in vaccinated patients as compared to their under-vaccinated counterparts. Strict adherence to pneumococcal vaccination recommendations is one of the most important strategies to reduce this severe complication and to further ensure safety of cochlear implantation.
Reference:
Hayden J, Youner ER, Rosen R, Cleveland CN, Warren DA, Mowry S, Otteson TD, Semaan M. Assessing the Impact of Vaccination Status on Meningitis Risk Post Cochlear Implantation. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2025 Jan 5. doi: 10.1002/ohn.1115. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39756011.
