BMJ  2007;335:784-785 (20 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.39301.680266.AE

Editorials

Ototoxicity caused by aminoglycosides

Is severe and permanent in genetically susceptible people

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are widely used for the treatment of Gram negative sepsis. It is well known that they can cause dose related renal toxicity and ototoxicity, which occur in almost everyone who receives a sufficiently toxic dose.¹ It is less well known that some people have an inherited predisposition that renders them highly sensitive to the ototoxic effects of these antibiotics: aminoglycosides taken at levels that are well within the therapeutic range can result in rapid, profound, and irreversible hearing loss. Even a single dose in a predisposed individual can result in permanent hearing loss.²

In countries that use aminoglycosides widely, a quarter of people with hearing loss induced by aminoglycosides have maternal relatives who also have deafness related to drug induced ototoxicity.³ In the familial cases of hearing loss, individuals received antibiotics for a much shorter period than those without a family history of ototoxicity, suggesting the presence of . . . [Full text of this article]

Clinical and Molecular Genetics Unit, University College London Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    StumbleUpon    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Vestibular function is also vulnerable

Barry M Seemungal and Adolfo M Bronstein
BMJ 2007 335: 952. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

How practical is this genetic screening test?

Thomas Rourke
BMJ 2007 335: 952. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Liu, X., Borooah, M., Stone, J., Chakkarapani, E., Thoresen, M. (2009). Serum Gentamicin Concentrations in Encephalopathic Infants are Not Affected by Therapeutic Hypothermia. Pediatrics 124: 310-315 [Abstract] [Full text]  
• Mulrennan, S A, Helm, J, Thomas, R B., Dodd, M, Jones, A, Webb, K (2009). Aminoglycoside ototoxicity susceptibility in cystic fibrosis. Thorax 64: 271-272 [Full text]  
• Bitner-Glindzicz, M., Pembrey, M., Duncan, A., Heron, J., Ring, S. M., Hall, A., Rahman, S. (2009). Prevalence of Mitochondrial 1555A->G Mutation in European Children. NEJM 360: 640-642 [Full text]  
• Seemungal, B. M, Bronstein, A. M (2007). Vestibular function is also vulnerable. BMJ 335: 952-952 [Full text]  
• Rourke, T. (2007). How practical is this genetic screening test?. BMJ 335: 952-952 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

"Aminoglycosides in the UK are only used in hospitals"

Michael G Bamber
bmj.com, 20 Oct 2007 [Full text]

How practical is this genetic screening test?

Thomas Rourke
bmj.com, 26 Oct 2007 [Full text]

Aminoglycoside vestibulotoxicity

Barry M. Seemungal, et al.
bmj.com, 29 Oct 2007 [Full text]

Ototoxicity caused by aminoglycosides- A neonatal perspective

Hugh Bishop, et al.
bmj.com, 7 Nov 2007 [Full text]

Aminoglycosides: putting risk in perspective

Zahir O.E Babiker, et al.
bmj.com, 10 Nov 2007 [Full text]

Online poll

Find out more >>