Ototoxicity Flashcards
What is the textbook definition of ototoxicity?
- Any source of non-mechanical, non-disease damage to the ear
- Includes: medications, solvents, heavy metals, possibly asphyxiants
- Most often used in content of clinical, medication-induced hearing loss or vestibular dysfunction
What is the operational definition of ototoxicity?
- Based on grading scales
- Beneficial for: consistency, objectivity, approachable numbers to non-audiologists
What are some benefits to using grading scales?
- Defined parameters, operational definition
- Rank or grade the degree of hearing loss
- Provide government agencies with data to judge drug safety
- Assess effectiveness or oto-protective interventions
- Assess genetic susceptibility to ototoxicity
Describe the ASHA Ototoxicity Grading Scale.
-Binary: yes/no ototoxicity:
20 dB+ decrease in pure-tone threshold at 1 test frequency
OR
10 dB+ decrease at 2 adjacent test frequencies
OR
Loss of response at 3 consecutive test frequencies where responses were previously attained
-Threshold change confirmed on retest
Describe the NCI ototoxicity grading scale.
-Grading of adverse events, hearing change, and/or therapeutic needs
-Graded on a scale of 0-5:
Grade 0 = no adverse event
Grade 1 = mild adverse event
Grade 2 = moderate adverse event
Grade 3 = severe adverse event
Grade 4 = life-threatening adverse event
Grade 5 = fatal adverse event
-Grading is different for adults vs. pediatrics
Describe the monitoring for FDA approval of new drugs.
- Phase 1: safety
- Phase 2: efficacy, optimum dose-response
- Phase 3: large scale study to detect side effects not identified ini first 2 phases
- Phase 4: further evaluation on subpopulations such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly
Describe Brock criteria for monitoring ototoxicity.
-Grading of hearing loss at the end of trial:
Grade 0 = thresholds <40 dB at all frequencies
Grade 1 = thresholds 40 dB+ at 8 kHz
Grade 2 = thresholds 40 dB+ 4-8 kHz
Grade 3 = thresholds 40 dB+ 2-8 kHz
Grade 4 = thresholds 40 dB+ 1-8 kHz
Describe Boston SIOP grading scale for ototoxicity.
-Grading of hearing loss
Grade 0 = hearing threshold up to 20 dB at all frequencies
Grade 1 = thresholds > 20 dB above 4 kHz
Grade 2 = thresholds > 20 dB at 4 kHz+
Grade 3 = thresholds > 20 dB at 2 or 3 kHz+
Grade 4 = thresholds > 40 dB at 2 kHz+
How can ototoxicity be defined?
- Textbook definition
- Operational (i.e. grading scales)
- Functional (i.e. WR decline)
What medications have been linked to ototoxicity?
- Aminoglycoside antibiotics
- Antineoplastic drugs
- Loop diuretics
- Chelating agents
- Anti-inflammatory drugs
- Ototopic agents
What are aminoglycoside antibiotics?
- EX: gentamicin, neomycin, streptomycin
- First discovered by Albert Schatz in Selman Waksman’s lab in 1944 (ototoxicity was first noted by Feldman & Hinshaw in 1945)
- Among the most commonly used antibiotics worldwide (i.e. TB, CF, serious infections)
- Side effects include ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity
What are audiological manifestations of aminoglycoside antibiotic ototoxicity?
1) HL
- Bilateral, HF SNHL
- Onset is often delayed days or weeks after onset of therapy
- Most often permanent
2) Tinnitus
- Immediately following first treatment
- Typically occurs before HL
What are vestibular manifestations of aminoglycoside antibiotic ototoxicity?
1) Acute
- Headaches
- Nausea, vomitting, imbalance
- Vertigo
2) Chronic
- Difficulty with sudden movements
- Imbalance when walking
3) Compensatory
- Centrally mediated
What are antineoplastic drugs?
- Platinum compounds:
1) Cisplatin - Kills cancer cells by binding DNA, resulting in kinked helix (cannot bind so cell dies)
- Ototoxicity is typically bilateral, symmetrical, sensory, permanent, HF
- Onset: gradual, progressive, cumulative, or sudden
- Evidence of progression after cisplatin is d/c
2) Carboplatinum
- Less cochleotoxic than cisplatin
- Indications are similar to cisplatin
What are loop diuretics?
- Drugs that inactivate the Na-K pump at the loop of Henle in the kidney
- Prevent reabsorption of Na, K, chloride, and water (potent diuretics)
- Indications: heart failure, edema, hypertension, ascites from liver failure
- Ototoxicity: tinnitus, flat SNHL, rare reports of vertigo
- Toxicity related to:dosing, concomitant aminoglycoside Rx, renal function/failure
What are chelating agents?
-Used to treat iron overload, sickle cell disease, etc.
What are anti-inflammatory drugs?
1) Salicylates (ASA)
- Mild to moderate SNHL
- Reduced OAEs due to decreased cochlear blood flow
- Recovery in 24-72 hours after cessation of drugs
2) Quinine
- Indications: antimalarial, nocturnal leg cramps
- Bilateral, symmetrical SNHL
- Reduced WR
- HF tinnitus
- Typically reversible
What are ototopic agents?
EX: solvents, antiseptics, antibiotics
- Indications: suppurative OM, otorrhea following myringotomy and tubes, draining mastoid cavities, OE
- Low incidence of ototoxicity
What is the audiologist’s role in ototoxicity monitoring?
- Monitor for ototoxicity
- Establishing goals of a monitoring program
- Participation in therapeutic decision making
Why do we monitor for ototoxicity?
- Ensure early identification of hearing loss
- Prevent functional hearing loss (i.e. treatment alternatives, smaller/less frequent doses, d/c treatment)
- Care and support of patient and family
- Evaluate drug safety