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Effect of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor on hearing

S Okuyucu^a1 c1, O E Guven^a2, E Akoglu^a1, E Uçar^a3 and S Dagli^a1

^a1 Department of Otolaryngology, Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

^a2 Department of Urology, Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

^a3 Department of Internal Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University School of Medicine, Antakya, Hatay, Turkey

Abstract

Objective: Following a report of sudden hearing loss in a patient taking phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, and a Food and Drug Administration announcement concerning this class of drugs, a study was planned to investigate if ototoxicity occurs in patients using phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction.

Methods: Eighteen patients with erectile dysfunction who had been using phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor were included in the study. Audiometric tests were performed on all patients, between the frequencies 250 and 16 000 Hz, before and 1, 5 and 72 hours after drug ingestion.

Results: Four patients showed a unilateral threshold decrease compatible with ototoxicity criteria; this change was reversible. A statistically significant difference in pre- versus post-drug hearing thresholds was observed in the right ear at 10 000 Hz (p = 0.008). There were no statistically significant hearing threshold differences at any other frequencies (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Although temporary ototoxicity was noted in four patients, we could not find any permanent, deleterious effect of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor on hearing thresholds.

(Accepted September 17 2008)

(Online publication January 12 2009)

Key words

• Vardenafil;
• Sensorineural Deafness;
• Drug Toxicity

Correspondence:

^c1 Address for correspondence: Dr Semsettin Okuyucu, Mustafa Kemal Universitesi Tıp Fakultesi, Arastirma Hastanesi, KBB AD, 31100 Antakya, Hatay, Turkey. E-mail: semsettinokuyucu@yahoo.com

Footnotes

Dr S Okuyucu takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper.

Competing interests: None declared