Cystic fibrosis patients who receive high doses of aminoglycoside antibiotics may be at an increased risk for losing their hearing permanently, according to a study published in the Journal of Cystic Fibrosis.
Researchers examined the medical records of 81 cystic fibrosis patients and grouped them into four quartiles based on the dosage of aminoglycoside antibiotics that each patient received.
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The study shows that the two highest dosage groups were 4.79 times more likely to experience permanent hearing loss than groups receiving the lowest cumulative dosage.
The study notes that, if possible, providers should consider alternative strategies for treating cystic fibrosis-associated respiratory infections.
"This is an early step toward developing a model for predicting hearing loss in these patients," said lead author Angela Garinis, PhD, a senior research associate in the Oregon Hearing Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.