Open AccessINFα and Ototoxicity
Author(s) -
Sharifian Shahriar M.R.,
Bakhshaee Mehdi,
Sima Hamid,
Kamandi Shima,
Afshari Reza,
Tale Mohammad R.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.232
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1097-6817
pISSN - 0194-5998
DOI - 10.1177/0194599812451438a161
Subject(s) - ototoxicity , medicine , audiology , audiogram , audiometry , otoacoustic emission , absolute threshold of hearing , tinnitus , hearing loss , chemotherapy , cisplatin
Objective INFα is a common standard drug for the treatment of hepatitis B and C. Although a variety of related complications have been discussed, possible ototoxic effects of this mediation are not well described. Method In a descriptive cross‐sectional before and after study, 24 patients who received INFα for treatment of hepatitis B and C were included. Subjective and objective ototoxicity evaluations via questionnaire, high‐frequency audiometry, and measuring transiently evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) were performed before, 1 week, and a month after starting the medication. Results Eighteen patients (75%) were male with mean age of 40 ± 14.4 years. In the frequencies of 4000 and 8000 Hz before (9.38 ± 1.0 and 10.7 ± 1.2, respectively) and after (17.9 ± 2.6 and 17.6 ± 2.6, respectively) 1 month (but not 1 week) of treatment, a significant difference ( P =. 001) was detected. A progressive decrease in amplitude of the OAE during TEOAE measurement in 1, 2, and 4 frequencies among 41.66%, 18.75%, and 43.75% were observed, respectively. Interestingly, all of the hearing impaired patients were males. Hearing impairment was statistically more common among older patients (51.6 ± 16 vs 33.1 ± 14; P =. 002). Conclusion INFα may cause some ototoxic effects. Baseline audiogram, close observation, and TEOAE monitoring during therapy are recommended.