Pharmacological drugs inducing ototoxicity, vestibular symptoms and tinnitus: a reasoned and updated guide.

The present work on drug-induced ototoxicity, tinnitus and vertigo represents the update and revision of a previous guide to adverse drug reactions for italian physicians (2005). The panorama of drug-induced side effects causing ototoxicity or symptoms such as tinnitus or dizziness and vertigo has enlarged in recent years, thanks to a better knowledge and a more specific attention of pharmaceutical firms and drug-control institutions. In daily clinical practice, there is a need for the family physician and the ENT specialist or audiologist (also in consideration of the possible medico-legal implications) to focus the attention on the possible risk of otological side effects. This would allow a clinical risk-benefit evaluation, weighing the possible clinical advantage in their field of competence against possible otological side-effects. The list of active ingredients and drugs is subdivided in categories based on their audiological and otoneurological side-effects, that have been signaled by the drug companies and/or ministerial notes. Drugs have also been subcategorized with regards to the field in which they are applied, the therapeutic indications and the clinical behaviour. They have also been organized in alphabetical order, for an easier consultation. The guide above, even if initially conceived for being used in Italy, also presents a more general and international interest, expecially as for as the concepts of pharmacology and the features of the active ingredients are concerned. The guide is, therefore, useful as for as we are concerned to any physician, regardless of the country he/she operates in.

Dietary Restriction for The Treatment of Meniere's Disease.

Meniere's disease (MD) is an idiopathic inner ear disorder characterized by spontaneous recurrent vertigo, fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), aural fullness and tinnitus. Endolymphatic hydrops (EH) of the inner ear is currently considered the pathophysiological mechanisms that underlies typical symptoms of MD. MD diagnosis is based on the criteria of the Baràny Society. There are many therapeutic options for MD, but none is considered effective by the scientific community. The first-line treatment commonly includes dietary modification, as low salt diet and reduction of alcohol and caffeine daily intake. Although some studies showed a positive effect of these dietary restrictions, even in the prevention of recurrences, currently there is no uniform consensus on their usefulness. New dietary approach, such SPC-flakes, are being evaluated: further assessments will be needed to validate their use in clinical practice.

Correlation between otitis media with effusion and cranial deformation in children.

OBJECTIVE: Otitis media with effusion (OME), defined as the presence of fluid in the ear without signs of an acute infection, usually occurs after acute otitis media and could result in reduced sound transmission with hearing loss. Several risk factors have been suggested to be associated with OME, as well as the relationships between morphology anomalies of cranial bones and ear infections. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation between OME and cranial deformation in a pediatric population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen children (13 males and 5 females) with a diagnosis of unilateral OME based on otolaryngologic examination, conductive hearing loss and an asymmetric tympanogram type were enrolled in the study. Patients underwent osteopathic and physical examinations to evaluate the presence of cranial deformations. RESULTS: Our study showed a high percentage of skull asymmetry (94%) in the study sample; children were mainly dolichocephalic and with atypical swallowing (72%). Particularly, we observed an occipital flattening, mainly ipsilateral to the ear affected by OME. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicated that a high percentage of children with OME present a skull asymmetry with concomitant dolichocephaly, known to be associated with high arched palate which is also related to a higher incidence of OME.

When alarm bells ring: emergency tinnitus.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop a diagnostic-therapeutic algorithm for those suffering from tinnitus who seek emergency aid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature review has been performed on articles from the last 30 years. RESULTS: It is important to activate medical or surgical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, in order to safeguard and rehabilitate the various functions affected. Psychiatric comorbidity is the most frequent pathological condition of those with serious or catastrophic tinnitus. In these cases, mortality risk is linked to suicide, morbidity to tinnitus-correlated distress. CONCLUSIONS: Tinnitus, mainly linked to loss of hearing, is a frequent symptom among the population at large. About 7% of those affected by tinnitus turn to their doctor to solve their problem, while between 0.5 and 2% request urgent medical assistance. Their cry for help may be the result of an acute onset of tinnitus or the rapid impairment of an already chronic condition. Tinnitus is not considered an urgent ear, nose and throat (ENT) condition by the Associazione Otorinolaringologi Ospedalieri Italiani (AOOI) [Italian Association of Hospital ENT], even though there are many pathological conditions, sometimes serious, associated with tinnitus and emergency action is necessary to reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality.

Screening patients affected by common variable immunodeficiency.

Chronic immunoglobulin administration decreases the incidence of bronchial and pulmonary infections in patients affected by chronic variable immunodeficiency (CVI). In this study, an ENT screening was carried out in 22 patients affected by chronic variable immunodeficiency and treated with chronic immunoglobulin administration. All the patients underwent ENT physical examination, nasal endoscopy by fiberoptics, mucociliary transport test (MTT), anterior rhinorheomanometry (RRM), nasal provocation test with cold water (ANPT), audiometry and impedentiometry, olfactory evaluation, and paranasal sinus X rays. Dysphagia was present in 91% of the patients, nasal secretion and obstruction in 77%, and hypoacusia, tinnitus, and otodinia in 57%. Rhinitis and pharyngitis were observed in 86% of the patients, and serous middle ear effusion in 50%. Confirmed maxillary sinusitis was observed in five patients. Hyposmia was observed in 50% of the patients. MTT was significantly longer in the patients than in the controls (18.0 +/- 10.5 vs. 11.2 +/- 2.4 min; p < .05). Nasal resistance was lower in patients than in controls (0.46 +/- 0.32 vs. 1.11 +/- 0.22 Pa/L.s-1; p < .001). ANPT was positive in 9 patients out of 25 versus 1 control out of 15 (p < .05). Finally, seven patients were affected by transmissive hypoacusia, and one patient by neurosensorial hypoacusia. Our results suggest that chronic immunoglobulin administration in CVI patients is not effective against ENT disorders, probably because of the important role played by nasal hyperreactivity. Frequent ENT examination and early treatment of ENT disorders are therefore suggested in order to prevent chronic disease.

Deafness in Italy: an epidemiological and socio-demographic study.

OBJECTIVES: Hearing loss is very common in our society, but epidemiological data on deafness in Italy is lacking. A.I.R.S. onlus (Italian Association for Research on Deafness) yearly launches the National Day for the Fight Against Deafness (NDFAD). During this events, that are held every year, it is possible to perform a free hearing test in all the facilities that have joined the initiative throughout Italy (240 hospitals joined in 2011). AIM: to report data collected throughout the "A.I.R.S. National Day for the Fight against Deafness" of the last years, focusing in particular but not only on audiometric outcomes. METHODS: demographic and social data, as well as audiometric outcomes, was collected on forms that have been subsequently stored in a on-line database and analyzed with MySQL and Microsoft Excel. CONCLUSIONS: This data are important in order to describe the "hearing health" of the Italian population, and is a first step towards creating a database with epidemiological and preventive aims, a strongly felt need both at national and at regional level.

Pitch discrimination for complex sounds in normal and hearing impaired ears.

On the grounds of previous researches on periodicity and virtual pitch, the present paper describes the results of some experiments on pitch extraction in normal ears and in subjects with sensorineural hearing loss of cochlear origin, with harmonic and inharmonic stimuli. The latter stimuli are constituted by complex tones with constant ratios between the frequency of adjacent components; for this reason the term geometric spectrum is used. These stimuli can be considered as an alternative to harmonic stimuli, since inharmonic components play an important role in sound analysis and therefore in the perception of sound. Comparison between the data obtained in experimental measurements from normal and hearing impaired subjects (also in relation to the estimates predicted by a mathematical model for pitch), revealed that pitch extracted by hearing impaired subjects tends to be shifted towards the high frequencies.

Nasal hypersensitivity in purulent middle ear effusion.

The existence of a physiopathologic connection between nose and middle ear is widely accepted so that chronic purulent middle ear effusion (CPMEE) could be expected to be usually associated with nasal chronic disease or impaired function. Nevertheless such association is less frequently observed in clinical practice than one could expect, possibly because of inadequate nasal function evaluation. Thirty-five patients affected by CPMEE were included in this study in order to assess the incidence of nasal disorders. E.N.T. clinical history was obtained and E.N.T. physical examination, nasal endoscopy by fiber optics, anterior rhino-rheo-manometry, non-specific nasal provocation test with histamine, mucociliary transport test, and allergic skin tests were performed. In the clinical history assessment 26 patients were affected by chronic rhinopathies, 16 by chronic pharyngitis, and 20 by frequent headache. At rhinoscopy we registered nasal septum deviation in 24 cases and mean and inferior turbinates hypertrophy in 31 cases. CPMEE and nasal septum deviation or turbinates hypertrophy were more frequently ipsilateral (p < .001 and p < .05, respectively). Total nasal resistance was 0.99 +/- 0.49; it was abnormally high in 11 subjects bilaterally and in 4 subjects monolaterally and increased significantly in 32 patients following nasal provocation test. Mucociliary transport time was longer in CPMEE subjects than in 10 healthy subjects (18 +/- 5 vs 13 +/- 4 min; p < .05). Finally 10 patients presented positive skin tests. On the whole, 96% of non allergic patients included in this study showed signs of non-specific nasal hypersensitivity which could theoretically cause purulent middle ear effusion to chronicize. Indeed recurrent histamine release in response to specific and/or aspecific stimuli could cause the obstruction of the Eustachian tube and consequently inadequate middle ear ventilation.

Heparin-induced hyperkalemia confirmed by drug rechallenge.

Subcutaneous heparin is commonly used as a prophylaxis against deep venous thrombosis in a wide variety of hospitalized patients. As with most medications, heparin has a significant side effect profile; heparin-induced hyperkalemia is an unusual but well described side effect. To increase awareness of heparin-induced hyperkalemia and of those patients at greatest risk, we present two cases of documented hyperkalemia induced by heparin and reconfirmed by drug rechallenge.